


Little to Big and Anger to Love.

by BloodyRose1



Category: BioShock, Burial at Sea (Bioshock)
Genre: Aged down Atlas, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Atlas is Not Frank Fontaine, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, First Time, Fontaine causes trouble, Kinda, Making Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader is underaged, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, WYK, Would You Kindly (BioShock), but it doesn't last long, if you squint really hard - Freeform, loving smut, reader was a little sister, use of wyk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-08-10 22:26:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 34,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7863595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyRose1/pseuds/BloodyRose1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Y/N) was a Little Sister. Then she grew up and was saved by a man who, under any other circumstances, would have killed her. Then they decided they wanted to leave Rapture. But first they have to go through Andrew Ryan as well as a few hundred Splicers, and possibly someone else. Can they do it? Will they fall in love on the way?<br/>(Title may change. Ties into the first Bioshock game. Atlas is 28 rather than 40(his age in the game). Reader is roughly 19. Burial at Sea happened but I'm ignoring Atlas' appearance in it)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> This will be really slow on the updates at times! I make no promises about even finishing it anytime soon. This is also my first multi chapter series...And the first one not to have a gay pairing in it too...Welp! Let's see how this goes shall we?

There are a few places that one could begin this story in. I could begin at the point when your life really turned to crap, or I could start with the trading of a hair bow for a helmet. But I think the best place to start is when yellow eyes opened for the first time.

You laid on the operating table in a groggy haze with no memory beyond your name and the wish that your daddy was here to hold you.

You slowly opened your eyes and saw a room that had a peaceful gold hue to it. Everything was draped in soft white fabric and pretty red bows.   
The table you were laying on was soft and felt like a cloud, you almost didn't want to get up.

You slowly sat up and looked around curiously before a kind heavily accented voice pulled your attention.  
You looked up at a woman who was standing next to you, she was slim and had pretty hair that was neatly brushed into a ponytail that went down her back. "Hello, (Y/N). Did you sleep well?" She asked kindly as she reached out to lift you off the table as you looked up at her.

"Yes. Who are you?" You asked as you lifted your arms so she could pick you up.

She smiled sadly as she lowered you to the floor gently, it was cold on your bare feet but you didn't mind. "My name is Mama Tenenbaum" She answered, saying the 'mama' part somewhat bitterly, almost like was a curse word.

"Mama Tenenbaum...Where am I?" You asked as you looked around. "It's so pretty" you added on quietly with a small smile and a cute sway.

"You are in your home. Rapture. Your daddy is here too. And together you are going to go help the angels" She said, her voice becoming heavier with each word she said.

"Mama Tenenbaum, you sound sad" you said quietly as you placed your hand lightly on hers.

She sighed quietly as she looked down at you with a small depressed smile. "It's nothing child...Mama is just tired" she said as she gently wrapped her hand around your smaller one. "Let's go meet your daddy. I'm sure he wants to see you" she said as she started to walk toward a door.

It was not long after that that you met your 'daddy' and went off to work, helping the 'angels'.

(13 years later)

Yellow eyes stared through the red tinted glass seeing port of an iron helmet as the owner of said eyes day dreamed. But the day dreams ended abruptly when the shriek of a little sister echoed through the empty halls of the corner of Rapture she currently sat in.

(Y/N) shrieked her high deafening shriek and darted toward where she thought it came from.

When she arrived she found the Little Sister being grabbed by a Splicer and another shriek left (Y/N)'s lips.

She made short work of killing the Splicer, one swift slice to the gut with her long needle and it was dead, and went to the weeping Little Sister.

She knelt in front of her and lifted a hand gently as she tilted her head slightly in invitation for the small girl to hold it.

No sooner than she had done that did the girl launch forward and wrap her little arms around (Y/N)'s neck as the child continued to weep. (Y/N) wrapped her slender arms around the girl and held her till she calmed down, making quiet shushing sounds every now and then.

When the Little Sister calmed down (Y/N) took her to the nearest vent and helped her up into it.

She watched at the small figure disappeared and as soon it did a hard object hit her on the back of the head, hitting the helmet so hard that it lurched her head forward inside and caused it to knock against the glass pane in the front, knocking her out cold.

(Roughly 5 Hours later)

(Y/N) woke with a gasp as she lurched up right from her position laying on a bed.

She looked around frantically before a woman appeared next to her. (Y/N) looked up at her and quickly scooted to the other end of the wide bed, almost falling off of it as she went.

"(Y/N)? Do you know who I am?" the woman asked, her accent ringing clearly in the girls ears.

"Mama Tenenbaum...?" she questioned quietly as she crawled a little closer and lifted a hesitant hand toward the woman.

"Yes. It's ok, you're safe here" she said with a smile that was only slightly less sad than it used to be.

"W-what happened?" (Y/N) asked as she gently touched the back of her head, flinching when she felt a bump.

That was when a new voice made it's self heard. "That would be me. Sorry about the bump, it was the only way to knock you out" This one had an accent too but it was different than Mama Tenenbaums.

It belonged to a man that (Y/N) only just noticed was leaning against a wall not far from the bed where she was sitting. He was of decent build and had light blond hair and deep brown eyes.

(Y/N) could only stare at him with wide awe struck (e/c) eyes. She wouldn't admit to it, but she could already feel herself falling.


	2. Time with the Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) has some time with her sisters and gets a 'mission' from Atlas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...Here's chapter two. You'll have to forgive any time line confusion...I'm still trying to figure out how to not only rework the original story but also somehow work in a new character.

(Y/N)'s eyes stayed glued to the man's form for longer than necessary and they didn't move till his, surprisingly hypnotic, voice rang out again.

"You gonna just keep staring or are ya planin' ta say somethin'?" He questioned with a slightly mirthful lilt to his tone. (Y/N) jumped slightly as she looked to the floor for a moment before looking to Tenenbaum.

"What happened to me? Why does everything look so...Different?" she asked quietly as her eyes flitted about the room before landing back on the thin woman.

"I asked Atlas to knock you out and bring you here. When he arrived with you I used a Plasmid of my own creation to turn you human again" She explained slowly, as if picking each word carefully so as not to confuse the girl before her.

(Y/N) nodded slowly in understanding, she could remember everything that happened after being turned into a Littler Sister, so she understood the need to knock her out, she could have very easily killed both of them.

"Atlas? The man from the posters?" (Y/N) asked confusedly, if it was the same man then she had a few choice words for him, and not one of them are even remotely nice.

"Technically, yes. But not really...Frank Fontaine stole my identity and started a 'revolution' as me" Atlas explained with with tone of distaste, (Y/N) couldn't really blame him for that.

"So, you aren't the one to stole all my sisters?" (Y/N) clarified with a slightly hopeful tone.

Atlas nodded. "Aye" he said with a nod before adding on. "But up till Tenebaum showed me the truth, I didn't see the Little Sisters in a sympathetic light" he admitted somewhat sadly.

(Y/N) didn't need to know what he meant by that as his expression and words said everything without really saying it at all. He had killed Little Sisters, but he regretted it.

The area was quiet for a little while before a small voice spoke. "Mama Tenenbaum...? Who is she?" a small girl asked as she hid behind the aforementioned woman.

(Y/N) immediately recognized her as one of the Little Sisters that she'd saved from Splicers; and if she was remembering correctly the girls name was Lizzy.

"This is your sister. Her name is (Y/N)" Tenenbaum said gently to the small brunette girl.

"Lizzy...?" (Y/N) questioned softly. The girl nodded. "I was the Big Sister that saved you. You drew a flower on my tank while I took you to a vent...Do you remember that?" She asked hopefully.

The girl was quiet and obviously thinking hard, trying to remember, then a large smile found her face and she quickly jumped up on the bed and hugged her with a joyful cry of "Big Sister!" which startled (Y/N) at first but she was quick to return the small girls hug.

When the girl pulled back she took (Y/N)'s hand and pulled her from the bed and pulled her toward the door. Up to that point (Y/N) hadn't paid much attention to her attire, but now that she was standing up she noticed that she wasn't wearing her armor anymore, nor was she wearing the one piece long johns she had underneath. She was now wearing a slightly dingy white night gown that went to her knees and had long sleeves. As she walked, following the small girls lead, the skirt moved in an almost flowing manner over her skin.

When Lizzy stopped they were standing before a group of three other girls, all of them were playing with chalk, making colorful flowers and the like.

"Guys! I found Big Sister!" Lizzy announced happily as she gestured to (Y/N), only smiled kindly at the small girls and gave a small wave. She recognized all of their faces. She'd saved all of them at some point in her time as a Big Sister.

The smiles that found the three girls faces upon hearing Lizzy's announcement could only be described as ecstatic. They all stood and ran to hug her, wrapping their little arms around various points between her hips and knees, considering that they are all very young and quite small.

It took (Y/N) a moment to react, as she wasn't expecting the sudden onslaught of affection, but when she did she dropped to her knees and, attempted to, wrapped her arms around the girls.

Tears found her eyes as she held them, the closest thing she had to a family as far as she could remember.

She would have been happy to stay like that forever but when the small voice of one of the girls rang out she felt like she had to listen. "Big Sister, why are you crying?" one of them asked, (Y/N) remembered her name to be Terra.

(Y/N) looked at the blond haired child. "I'm just so happy to see you all" She said as she placed one of her hands on the girls cheek and lightly caressed it with her thumb.

"You missed us?" a red haired girl asked, Jane, looking hopeful. (Y/N) nodded.

"I missed you all so much" she answered as she kissed the red head's forehead affectionately.

The fourth and final girl jumped happily, her black curls bouncing with her movements. "Do you wanna play with us?" she asked, almost pleadingly, It took (Y/N) a moment to remember this girls name, and it came to her rather quickly, Emily. She nodded and two of the girls took her hands and lead her to where they'd been seated.

Time passed quickly as (Y/N) drew and played with the girls. It felt strange to not feel the need to take them to a vent or kill everyone around that could be a threat, it was a level of freedom that she hadn't know in a very long time and couldn't really remember ever having to begin with, as she couldn't remember her time before being a Little Sister, but she liked it and was more than willing to fight for it.

Her peaceful time with the girls was over all too soon as Atlas' voice called out to her. "Lass, Tenenbaum and I could use a hand over here. If you don' mind that is" he said from a table on the other side of the room.

(Y/N) simply nodded and stood as she smiled to the girls.

"What do you need?" She asked when she got close enough to them.

"We're leavin' Rapture. An' we're gonna need all the help we can get" Atlas said as he gestured to the map on the table. "There's someone you're gonna go meet" He added on a few moments later.

"Who?" (Y/N) asked with a curious tilt of the head.

"I don't know his name, only a code that the revolution fellas used 'Ace in the Hole'" He answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Comments and constructive criticism is always welcome!  
> (In case you don't know or have not played the Burial at Sea DLC from Bioshock Infinite. The term 'Ace in the Hole' was the code used for referring to Jack, the main character from the first Bioshock game.)


	3. New Clothes and a New Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader spends a little time with Atlas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's more filler than anything else but it's more or less necessary. Hopefully Jack will be in the next chapter!

(Y/N) lifted a brow at Atlas' words. "Why me?" she asked as she rested her hands on the table before her and leaned on them.

"Cause Tenenbaum needs ta stay with the girls. And I'm gonna be yer guide via radio" he answered simply as he shifted his eyes from the map on the table to (Y/N).

She sighed quietly and nodded. "Ok. Where am I meeting him?" she asked looking at the map intently.

Atlas pointed to a spot. "Here. But from tha Intel I've gathered, he won't be here for a while. And I'll know when he's here" he answered.

"What makes you think that?" Tenenbaum asked as she crossed her arms over her chest with a stern disbelieving look.

"Cause I heard that the order he was given to get here involved crashing a plane into the ocean" he answered irritably.

(Y/N) just looked between the two silently, it was clear that there was some hostility between them, but she wasn't going to ask about it, not yet at least.

After that (Y/N) went to prep her armor, she really didn't want to wear it again, it had too many bad memories attached to it, but she honestly didn't know what else she could wear, it's not like she'd seen an abundance of clothes laying around since she woke up nearly 7 hours ago.

Her distaste must have been more obvious than she thought because when Atlas entered the small room, which was used as an armory of sorts, to get more bullets for his gun he let out an understanding chuckle. "Some one spit in yer porridge love?" he asked jokingly, a clear attempt to lighten her mood.

(Y/N) gaze quickly shifted to Atlas and back to the armor before she spoke. "I just hate this thing..." she said as she held up the helmet and stared into the glass port as if she were looking into someones eyes. "I have some pretty bad memories with it" she added after a few seconds.

Atlas nodded solemnly. "I know what you mean..." he said looking at his gun as he put each bullet in to their chambers.

(Y/N) looked at Atlas. "Do you have any family Mr. Atlas?" she asked as she placed the helmet down and turned to fully face him.

Atlas' expression turned truly sad at that question. "Once...I had a wife and son...Moira and Patrick...They died before I came to Rapture...To be honest I'm happy they never had to see this" he answered, his eyes not leaving his gun for even a second.

(Y/N) nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked" she said apologetically as she shifted her gaze to the floor.

Atlas shook his head. "Don't be. Ya didn't know. And please, Just 'Atlas'. The 'Mister' makes me feel old" he said with a small huff like laugh.

(Y/N) nodded. "Ok, Atlas..." she said. Atlas Looked at the armor for a moment before making a gesture that told (Y/N) to wait for a moment.

He went to a trunk on the other side of the room and dug around for a moment before coming back with a bundle of clothes. "These should fit ya. They won't protect ya like yer armor but it's better than what yer wearing now" he said as he handed them to her.

She nodded with a thankful smile. "Thank you so much" she said, she felt the urge to hug but but chose not to, she didn't what to make anything awkward.

(Y/N) went behind a medical screen to change, not seeing the light behind it that case a perfect silhouette of her that could be seen from the other side, where Atlas still stood.

She pulled the night gown over her head and put it aside, she now stood in only her panties, as she hadn't been wearing a bra, and Atlas could see every curve of her body and found himself blushing deeply, he coughed and looked to the floor. "I'll be in tha other room if ya need me" he said quickly as he left, lest he say something foolish.

"Ok. Thank you again Atlas" she said sweetly. Atlas didn't reply but she could hear the receding sound of his footsteps. She looked at the clothes that he'd given her. A pare of fitted pants, a white undershirt and a red button down, and, oddly enough, a clean bra.

After dressing she realized that she lacked shoes. She looked to the trunk that Atlas had gotten the clothes from and went over to it. After digging for a few moments she found a pair of boots that ended just under her knees. She slipped them on and laced them up snugly. The sleeves on the button down were a bit long so she rolled them up and left the top three buttons undone, leaving the undershirt visible.

She went to the other room where Atlas and Tenenbaum were once again standing over a map and looked to be talking rather heatedly.

(Y/N) was about to ask what they were talking about when a loud sound that seemed to be a mix between a splash and a crash came from above them.

"He's here sooner than I thought..." Atlas said as he eyed the ceiling.


	4. Out and About

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is sent out to assist Jack in his acclimation to being in Rapture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have no idea what I'm doing...Um...Enjoy?

After the crash sounded, Atlas went to a near by radio and called one of his few friends and sent him to meet the 'Ace', as he called him, but it was soon discovered that the aforementioned friend was unable to do anything when a Spider Splicer appeared and killed him.

Atlas reluctantly turned to (Y/N). "I need ya ta go meet him" he said looking between Tenenbaum and (Y/N), it was clear that this was a serious situation so (Y/N) just nodded and went back to the 'armory' to get herself some weaponry, as her needles were attached to her suit and she had no intentions of putting it back on.

She donned a shoulder holster that could hold two guns and placed two pistols in each of the slots before grabbing a belt with many little pockets attached and started to load said pockets with bullets for her pistols and a few with shotgun shells as she took a moment to eye the sawed off shotgun a few feet away.

She then grabbed a small satchel and put a few EVE syringes into it with a few First-Aid kits.

She went to walk out, grabbing the shotgun as she went, and loaded it as she stood in the other room with Tenenbaum and Atlas, who watched her in slightly stunned silence.

"Where do I meet him?" she asked glancing up from her gun loading to Atlas, who had to shake his head to get rid of the impure thoughts that had hit him at seeing her act so bad ass.

He turned to the map and pointed to a spot. "I'm hopein' that it'll get you close to tha Bathysphere Port, but there are places between here and there that are controlled by a coupla psychos, so it may be a bumpy ride" he answered, ending with a warning.

(Y/N) nodded. "I'd be surprised if it was easy..." she said as Atlas went back to a nearby desk and dug around for a moment before finding what he was looking for. He held the short wave radio out to her. She didn't hesitate to accept it and clip it to her belt.

"I'm on channel 3. I'll try to give you directions as you go. If all goes to plan, then I'll meet you at Port Neptune, and we'll all meet Tenenbaum and the girls to make out final escape. Just make sure to close the Bathysphere door tight when you get out, so I can call it back" he said, his tone was somewhat hopeful, but there was also that shadow of worry that hung with the chance of the plan not working.

(Y/N) nodded and went to the blocked off room on the far end of the main area. Through the door was a Bathysphere that had been sitting there unused and undamaged.

She opened the door and climbed in. She was about to close the door when Atlas' hand stopped her. She looked at him curiously.

"Stay outta trouble kid..." he said as he held out something small and wrapped in fabric. She took it and unwrapped the fabric and found a small circular medallion with Gaelic looking symbols on it. She looked back at Atlas with a expression of confusion mixed with surprise.

"It's a good luck charm...It never worked much for me, but maybe it'll work for you" he said looking down at the medallion, then at (Y/N).

She let a small smile slip onto her face. "Thank you, Atlas" she said as she leaned in and gave his slightly scruffy cheek a kiss before retreating back into the Bathysphere, closing the door as she went.

Once the door was closed, and sealed, she went to the lever that told it where to go and set it to take her to the Bathysphere Port. As it stared to move she looked down at the medallion in her hand for a moment before taking the long loose threads of the fabric and braiding them into a more sturdier 'chain' to hold it around her neck. She put it on and tucked it under her shirts as she waited to arrive at her destination.

She was about half way there when she got a call from a frantic Atlas. "Redirect to the Medical Pavilion! He needs help!" he said before the radio cracked and went silent.

(Y/N) didn't waste any time in going to the lever and setting it to the notch that said 'Medical Pavilion' and sitting as close to the door as possible so she could jump out quickly.

When she arrived at the Medical Pavilion, she opened the door and jumped out, placing her radio close to her mouth and pressing the call button as she closed it. "I'm here. You can call the Bathysphere back now" she said and, after waiting for a few minuets, her reply was the Bathysphere driving away in the direction she came from.

But just as it left her view an alarm sounded and red lights came on as an automated female voice said that there was a 'security alert in progress' but other than that nothing happened and a moment later the lights went back to normal so she ignored it and started walking, hoping that she'd find the man she was looking for quickly.

Then the gun shots started and she went from walking to running in the direction of the sounds.

When she arrived at the main foyer of the Medical Pavilion, she found a man standing among the dead bodies of Splicers. He was a little shorter than Atlas and had brown hair and was wearing a cream colored cable-knit sweater and jeans, both of which now had blood stains.

He had a wrench in one hand and a Tommy Gun in the other and he was panting. He soon shook his head and looked around, it didn't take long for his eyes to land on (Y/N), and when they did he jumped and pointed the Tommy Gun at her.

She raised her hands in a nonthreatening way as she spoke. "Relax. I'm here to help you. Atlas sent me" she said slowly, hoping that Atlas had been in contact with him. He looked her over for a moment before lowering his gun.

"Who are you?" he asked in a slow, quiet, manner, as if he didn't talk a lot.

"My name is (Y/N), and I'm here to help you get through the city" she answered as she slowly lowered her hands and walked a little closer to him. "What's your name?" she asked once she was about three feet away from him.

"Jack...Jack Wynand" he answered as he put his wrench in one of his belt loops and reached his, now free, hand toward (Y/N) for a handshake. She wrapped her hand around his and shook it in a good natured manner before letting it go and turning toward the door.

"Nice to meet you, Jack. Let's get going" she said as she walked her hand resting on one of her pistols as she moved.

They didn't walk for more than a few seconds before Jack stopped, as if remembering something. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a Plasmid bottle and a, somehow, clean syringe. "I don't know if you've used this or not, but it might help" he said holding it out to (Y/N).

She just shook her head as she spoke. "I already have all the Plasmids I need" she said before turning to start walking again.

She heard a light clink sound and turned to look back at Jack, finding that he'd set them down on the floor by the wall. (Y/N) shook her head again.

"We'd be better off if you smashed it...Don't need the Splicers getting a hold of that kind of power" she said. He looked at her and nodded before going back to the bottle and picking it up before smashing it on the floor, glass and liquid going everywhere. They went back to their walking after that.

They soon came to a door and the lights flickered for a moment as an apparition appeared and acted as if she were distraught, talking about how Steinman 'promised her pretty' before it disappeared and the lights flickered again. Jack looked to (Y/N) with an almost pleading look, begging her to say that she saw it too.

"Yeah. I saw it" she supplied before she started walking again, not mentioning that she could see that very same woman's body on the floor by the broken First-Aid Station next to them. She quickly pressed the button to open the door.

As the door opened (Y/N) heard Jacks radio crack to life and Atlas' voice come through. "You keep yer eyes pealed for Stienman. Tha damned bastard set up shop in tha surgery wing. You wanna find 'im, just follow the blood" he said before the radio went quiet.

Then she remembered that she had a radio too, and should probably let Atlas know that she's found Jack. She had just placed her hand on the radio when the lights on the wall across from the door flickered on and reviled three pictures that were covered in blood and other things. (Y/N) had to take deep breaths to keep from vomiting as they walked by.

She went to keep walking as she picked up her radio and pressed the call button. "Atlas. I found Jack. I'm with him now. We're gonna go looking for Stienman, so we can get out of here" She said as they walked, glancing at Jack when she mentioned him.

"Good. Now try to stay alive, and keep an eye on each other" he answered quickly before the radio went silent again.

After that, they continued their trek to find a way to Stienman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated!


	5. So Many Road Blocks, So Little Time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More is revealed about (Y/N) as they make their way forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the reader was saved as a Big Sister I'm pretty much winging it and making up rules as I go. I hope you enjoy.

As (Y/N) and Jack wondered in the direction of the Surgery Wing she let herself glance in his direction, finding him looking around in a sort of fearful wonder that left her with a feeling of pity for the poor soul. But she forced herself to ignore that feeling in her gut and kept walking.

As soon as they rounded the corner they were met with hale of bullets from a turret set up there. Quickly taking cover behind the wall she looked at him. "Shock it. It'll short out and I can hack it so it won't shoot at us again" She said as she let him pass her to have a better vantage point. As soon as she heard the loud Zap sound she darted around the corner and to the turret where she started to fiddle with wires till a green light came on. She sighed in relief as she waved Jack over silently. "How do you know how to do that?" he asked as he watched her stand from her crouched position. "When you've been down here as long as I have you tend to pick up a thing for two" she answered with a shrug. "Let's keep going" she continued as she started walking again.

They soon saw a sign that said 'Surgical Savings' and decided that maybe it would lead them to the Surgery Wing. When they walked through the door they were met with a long tube-like glass hallway that had only one door besides the one at the end, said door was locked so they ignored it, as they walked down the hall an enthusiastic voice came through a T.V. on a pillar in the middle of the hallway. It said "With genetic modifications, beauty in no longer a goal, or even a virtue. It is a moral obligation. Do we force the healthy to live with the contagious? Do we mix the criminal with the law abiding? Then why are the plain allowed to mingle with the fair?". They both ignored it in favor their goal but when an unnaturally low moan sounded from the glass hallway right next to the one they currently inhabited they stopped and stared. (Y/N) because she remembered when that sound came from a foot away from her. And Jack because he'd never seen anything like that before. "What is that?" he asked glancing at her for a second before looking back. "The kid or the creature?" she asked, fully prepared to explain both. "Both..." he answered quietly. "The girl is called a Little Sister...She makes ADAM. It's what powers the Plasmids. The creature is a Big Daddy...He protects her..." She answered with a quiet, slightly sad, sigh. He looked back at her again and saw the sad expression on her face. It didn't take him long to figure it out and when he did he gave a quiet gasp. "You were one of them once...Weren't you?" he asked softly looking down at her shorter figure. She nodded. "Yeah..." she said in what can only be described as a whimpered gasp. He slowly lifted one of his arms and wrapped it around her shoulder in a sincere side-hug. She smiled slightly at the embrace before taking a deep breath and taking a step out of the hug with a smile that gave him her thanks without saying anything.

They went through the door that lead to the Surgery Wing and could hear the sound of a Splicer muttering to himself about symmetry. She slowed down and made a shushing gesture but didn't make the sound as she rounded the corner, readying her pistol as she did, but before she could could pull the trigger the Splicer jumped up and ran through the very door they needed to go through, throwing a small bomb that caused the large neon sign over it to fall, blocking the whole thing. (Y/N) sighed as her shoulders slumped.

It wasn't long before the same Splicer reappeared on a balcony over them and started to throw more bombs at them, forcing them to run.

When they got to a safe spot not far from where they needed to be (Y/N) grabbed her radio and pressed the call button. "Atlas. Small problem" she said before waiting for a reply. "What happened? Are ya hurt?" he asked in a surprisingly worried manner. "No. we're both ok. But our path to the Surgery Wing is blocked. Some idiot Splicer started throwing bombs everywhere and now there's about 200 pounds of neon sign in our way" she said exasperatedly. "Explosives are a rare thing to find down here. But if you can find a Telekinesis Plasmid then you can catch and throw it to clear the way." he said, now sounding like he's looking around for something, probably a map so he could give them directions. "There were tests being done in the Physical Therapy Wing with it. Ya might be able to find some there" he said after a few moments. "Physical Therapy. Got it. Thank you Atlas" she said as they started walking again. "Not a problem, love. Be careful" he said. The sincerity in his words caught (Y/N) off guard but she didn't show it as she kept walking.

After following the signs for a while they found that the way to the Physical Therapy Wing was blocked...By ice. An angry growl left (Y/N) as she fought the urge to punch the wall. "Why can it never be easy...?" she grumbled as she glared at the almost glacier blocking them. "How are we going to get through?" Jack asked as he stood behind her looking at the ice. She thought for a few moments before getting an idea. "The Crematorium...They use Incinerate to light the ovens. Hopefully they'll have some left. Come on" she said as she started to make her way to the aforementioned place.

It took a little looking but they soon found a room that had a destroyed Pasmid Machine that had dropped a bottle of Incinerate. "Now we just need to get in there..." (Y/N) said as he looked through the window at the broken door. "What about this?" Jack said pointing at an open vent in the wall that lead into the room. "Jack...You're a genius" she said with a smile as they both crawled through the vent and into the room.

To their luck there were two clean needles in the room with the Plasmid. "I thought you didn't need Plasmids?" Jack asked confusedly as she prepped the second needle. "When I only had Electrobolt I had all I needed. Now I need other Plasmids to get the job done" She said as she filled both needles, handing one to Jack. "Here we go..." she said as she injected the liquid into her system. A shudder ran through her as it worked it's way through her. "I hate that feeling..." she muttered as she snapped her fingers and a small flame appeared.

Just as they were about to leave Ryan's voice sounded over the PA. They couldn't tell what he way saying but it seemed to rile the Splicers up as three came running. As the drugged up idiots banged on the windows (Y/N) looked for a way out. Then she saw the large puddle of gasoline on the other side of the window. She snapped her fingers and lit it up, burning the Splicers alive. Their shrieks didn't faze (Y/N) but she could tell that they bugged Jack, though she didn't comment on it.

Once the fire had gone out they left and went back to the large wall of ice that had blocked their way to the Telekinesis Plasmid. With a quick snap the ice melted and they were on their way again.

This was taking longer than (Y/N) thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	6. Dr. Steinman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) and Jack finally get rid of the last thing between them and Steinman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention that I have no idea what I'm doing? Cause I don't...Enjoy!

After melting the ice they entered the Physical Therapy Wing. As they entered they saw a medical gurney flying toward them. After dodging it (Y/N) pulled her gun out and shot the Splicer that pushed it toward them. A sigh escaped her lips. "I'm gonna need a nap after this" she muttered as they kept walking.

As they entered the main area they found a corpse on the floor with a shotgun and multiple boxes of ammo. "You take it. I already have one" (Y/N) said as she holstered her pistol and pulled her shotgun from its place on her back, under the straps of her holster. As soon as Jack picked up the gun the security gate from the door they'd just come through closed and all the lights around them, save for the one directly above them, turned off.

The sounds of footsteps running around them as they looked into the darkness. "Quick! back to back. Keep your eyes open!" (Y/N) said as she loaded her shotgun and held it at the ready. No sooner had they done what she'd said did the first Splicer appear. The ugly bitch swung a wrench at (Y/N), who only just managed to pull the trigger before contact was made.

The sound of her first shot hadn't even stopped echoing before another four Splicers appeared from the shadows to try and kill them. The two worked in tandem to kill each Splicer that appeared. One of them using Electrobolt to shot the Splicers before the other shot them. By the time they were all dead (Y/N) and Jack stood among 7 dead Splicers.

As they both caught their breath they looked at each other, it was quiet save for the sound of their pants. Then an airy chuckle left Jacks lips and soon they both were chuckling around their pants. They weren't laughing at the death and carnage. They were laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all.

The laughs died out when (Y/N) patted Jacks shoulder. "Let's get going" she said as she started to look around.

It took them about an hour of searching the whole area before they came to what looked like a small indoor tennis court with a ball launcher at one end and a broken Plasmid machine at the other. They went to the machine and grabbed the bottle of Telekinesis and the two needles next to it.

After injecting the vile drug into their systems they made their way back to the entrance to the Surgery Wing. As they neared it the sound of crackling came from (Y/N)s radio and soon Atlas' voice came through. "How's it comin' lass?" he asked. "There were a few road blocks but we managed to get the Telekinesis Plasmid. We're on our way back to the Surgery Wing now" she replied looking between the radio and Jack. "Good. Let me know as soon as you get the key" he said, not mentioning a fact that they all knew pretty well at this point. Jack and (Y/N) were going to have to kill Steinman to get the key.

When they arrived back at the entrance of the Surgery Wing the Splicer was still there and as soon at it saw them it threw a small bomb that (Y/N) quickly caught and threw with Telekinesis. It destroyed the neon sign that was blocking them but the Splicer was still alive. So when it threw another she caught it and throw it back at the bastard. They didn't stick around to see if he lived or not.

When they entered they were met with multiply corpses in wheel chairs. (Y/N) just shook her head and kept walking. They soon entered a hallway but were met with a hail of bullets from a turret at the far end. (Y/N) shocked it from around the corner and as soon at the bullets stopped she pulled her pistol out and shot at it till it blew up.

With that obstacle out of the way they continued down the hallway. At the end was a door after going through it they were met with a large pane of glass between them and the Surgical room. And in the room they could see Steinman leaning over a woman's body as she sobbed. "What can I do with this one Aphrodite? She. Wont. Stay Still!" Each words was punctuated with a stab to the poor woman's gut. "I want to make them beautiful. But they always turn out WRONG!" Another stab to her gut. "THAT one! Too FAT!" he pointed to his right and a light shown on a corpse hanging from an operating table. "THIS one! Too TALL!" He pointed to his left and another light came on to show another hanging body. "THIS one! Too SYMMETRICAL!" a final light showed one last body. "And now-" He stabbed the woman before him one last time and she died. Then he looked at the window that Jack and (Y/N) were watching him through. "What's this Goddess? Intruders? Their ugly! ugly!! UGLY!!!" he shouted as he picked up a Tommy gun and shot the window out as (Y/N) and Jack ran for cover. The doors to the room he was in opened as he ran further in. (Y/N) ran in and shocked him as soon as she saw him and Jack, who had followed her lead, shot at the mad man with his Tommy gun till he was on the floor in a twitching dead heap. "That was easy..." Jack said as (Y/N) went to Steinmans body and went through his pockets. After finding the key she stood and grabbed her radio. "Atlas. We have the key. Steinman is dead" she said before going silent so she could hear Atlas' reply. "Good to hear lass. That bastard deserves whatever he finds in Hell. Make your way to the Bathysphere and go to Port Neptune. I'll try to meet you there" he said before the radio went silent.

Next stop Port Neptune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	7. Big Daddies and Little Sisters.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) and Jack have their first real encounter with Big Daddies and Little Sisters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day! yay! Rosy is on a roll!

(Y/N) and Jack had just entered the glass hallway when a loud crashing and crumbling sounds were heard. They continued forward to find that the door they needed to go through was blocked by pieces of the hallway. Then Atlas' voice came through Jacks radio. "Sounds like another tunnel collapse. Welcome to Rapture, the worlds fastest growing pile of junk" he said as (Y/N) looked around for another way to go.

Then the low angry bellowing of a Big Daddy was heard and just as they were going to go toward that sound, thinking that maybe there was a way around the ruble, Jack stopped and looked dizzy for a moment before shaking it off and moving forward. It worried (Y/N) but she didn't comment on it.

They turned to the other door in the glass hallway, which was locked before, and found that it was open. As they walked through it they saw the Big Daddy that had been making so much noise get launched through the window and into the wall next to them and a shriek of a Little Sister in distress.

That prompted (Y/N) to run toward the sound.

She ran toward the door next to the broken window and saw a Splicer cornering a Little Sister. But before she could do anything he was shot in the shoulder then shot in the head. "Stay away from her or it is you who will be shot next!" Tenenbaum said from the balcony over head as she pointed a gun at Jack. "Mama Tenenbaum stop!" (Y/N) said as she stood in front of him. "That's the guy I told you about Tenenbaum. He can get you and the girls outta here" Atlas said over the radio. "I'll not have him hurting my little ones!" she said, keeping the gun trained on Jack. "He won't!" (Y/N) said desperately. Tenenbaum lowered her gun and seemed to be thinking for a moment. "Fine. If that is the case then have him use this" she said as she pulled out a Plasmid bottle and tossed it to Jack, who caught it with ease.

Jack took the Plasmid and made his way closer to the girl. He picked her up, despite her protests, and soon a white glow started to appear. It practically blinded (Y/N), forcing her to look away. When she looked back she saw a normal little girl smiling up at them. "Thank you" she said with a little curtsy and a wave before she ran off to the nearby vent. (Y/N) looked back to Jack and saw that he had a medium sized vial in his hand, it was clear to (Y/N) what it was but Jack seemed confused and he looked to (Y/N) for an explanation. "That's ADAM. You can buy Plasmids with it" she said with a small smile on her face. Not at the sight of the ADAM but at the fact that he willingly saved the girl.

"Good job, boyo. Good to know you got some morals. Head to the Bathysphere" Atlas said through the radio. As they were about to walk through the only door in the room the sound of the power coming back on echoed in the room and with it came the jingle of the Gatherers Garden Plasmid machine sounded to the far end of the room. "Wait. You should get a Plasmid slot" (Y/N) said pointing to the machine. "What's a Plasmid slot?" Jack asked confusedly as he looked at the machine. "It lets you have more than two plasmids at a time" she explained simply. He just nodded and went to the machine and the next thing (Y/N) heard was the sound of the syringe injecting the liquid into his system.

As they were on their way back to the Bathysphere they heard the sound of another Big Daddy, as well as the sound of smaller footsteps and a distorted child's voice. (Y/N) started to prep her guns for a fight as Jack watched confusedly. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I'm going to kill the Big Daddy and you're going to use your new Plasmid to save her" she said as she looked up from her loading at Jack. (Y/N) now also had a Tommy gun, So she had her two pistols in their holsters, a shotgun on her back, and a Tommy gun in her hands, all with various types of ammo for each of them. She loaded each one with Armor Piercing rounds before reaching into her satchel and pulling out at EVE syringe. After injecting its contents she looked around the corner and watched the Big Daddy for a moment. "Stay in cover and let me handle this. Don't come out till I say it's safe" she ordered as she went around the corner and zapped the Big Daddy with Electrobolt and hailed him with bullets from her Tommy gun.

Him roared angrily at her as she continued her pattern of zap and shoot. It took a while and a few well placed dodges but soon the Big Daddy was letting out a whining roar as he died, the girl crying over his body pitifully. "Jack. You can come out now" she called as she went towards the Little Sister. Jack ran over and knelt down to the girls height as she whimpered and protested him touching her. The white glow came and went and the girl smiled and thanked them before running off.

After that they both made their way back to the Bathysphere and stopped the lock down.

Once they were in the Bathysphere Jack set it to take them to Port Neptune. They sat in silence for a while before Jacks questions got the better of him. "You said earlier that you used to be a Little Sister...What was it like?" he asked quietly, like he was expecting to be yelled at. (Y/N) was quiet for a while, clearly thinking about her answer. "It was peaceful. Little Sister's see the world as a sort of Heaven on Earth. But as I got older I started to see what the pretty lights and bows hid. When a Little Sister grows up they become a Big Sister. A far more dangerous foe that I hope you never have to see. Big Sisters see Rapture for what it is. And their job is to protect the Little Sisters from Splicers. By killing the Splicers...In short...It was Hell disguised as Heaven..." she answered, her voice getting darker and darker as she went. The dark memories started to run through her head as Jack listened to every word she said. "How old were you when you were turned into a Little Sister?" he asked, almost dreading what the answer would be. "I don't remember...Maybe 8 or 9? I don't know...I have no memory of my life before being a Little Sister" she answered as she watched out the window of the Bathysphere at the moving scenery of the city. They both were quiet for the rest of the ride to Port Neptune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	8. Neptune's Bounty.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) and Jack make it to Port Neptune but what happens when a paranoid, and possibly homicidal, fisherman gets in the way of their escape plan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! More story progression!

When (Y/N) and Jack arrived at Port Neptune, also known as Neptune's Bounty, they immediately jumped out of the Bathysphere and were more then ready to get on their way. But they were halted by the sight before them.

A corpse was chained to a wall in front of them with the word 'Smuggler' painted on the wall behind it in blood. "The Bathysphere that we're usin' to get outta here is hidden in the foundation of Fontaine Fisheries. I'll meet you there" Atlas said over the radio as (Y/N) and Jack forced their eyes away from the corpse and continued on their way.

As they continued forward they entered a slightly flooded hallway, at the end of the hallway they could see a shadow. This sight caused (Y/N) to pull her shotgun from its place on her back.

As they continued walking the thing casting the shadow must have heard them as it jumped and disappeared into a hole in the ceiling. (Y/N)'s shoulders slumped. "Crap...That was a Spider Splicer. Their a real pain in the ass to deal with...Here's to hoping that we don't have to fight any anytime soon..." she said as she watched the hole in the ceiling for a moment.

They kept going and waked through the door in front of them. Rose petals started to drift down from the ceiling to the floor as the sound of something being drug across metal grating sounded and a voice spoke. "But days go by like wind..." it said and the two companions looked at each other for a moment before continuing.

As soon as they went through the final door to enter the Port they were met with the sight of a Big Daddy and a Little Sister. "We can deal with them later" (Y/N) said as she tried to look anywhere but at the Little Sister. Jack just nodded and followed her as she followed the signs that lead to Fontaine Fisheries, which, lucky for them, was pretty close by.

They only walked for a few minutes before they were met with a large neon sign and a blocked passageway. "Here we go again..." (Y/N) groaned as she forced herself to keep walking. But they were both forced to take cover when a rocket launching turret started firing at them from the top of the wall of crates. "I can't reach it in time to hack it. Just zap and shoot!" (Y/N) shouted to Jack as she grabbed her Tommy gun and took aim.

It didn't take long for the turret to blow up and when it did they made their way toward the wall that it had been sitting on. "How are we going to get through this? Burning it will take too long...And there are no wood controlling Plasmids..." (Y/N) said as she started to get lost in thought. "Or we could use these beams to climb over it" Jack suggested as he pointed to aforementioned beams. "Jack. You're a genius!" (Y/N) said as she started climbing, Jack following behind her.

Once they were past the wall of fish crates they went through the door and were met by another dead body. There were hooks stuck in the wall around it, that told (Y/N) that it was a Spider Splicer that had killed him. Then the rose petals started to fall again. "Who can blame a lady who craves variety?" the voice from before said followed by the sound of metal claws hooking into the stone ceiling echoed.

(Y/N) knelt down to pick up the two First-Aid kits that were on the floor next to the body. Jack gave her a weird look and she shrugged. "What? He's not going to use them anytime soon" she said as she shoved them into her satchel and stood. She went around the large pillar that the body was leaned up against and more rose petals fell, prompting Jack and (Y/N) to look up. There were two bodies hanging from a large hole in the ceiling. "And one day the gentlemen stopped calling..." the voice from before said, only this time it wasn't followed by the sound of hooks clanking or being used to climb the ceiling.

Jack went to the only door in the room and tried to open it, only to find that it's locked, so he used his wrench to knock. The metal slat opened and a man stood there with a welders mask hiding his face. "Atlas radioed on ahead. Says you were l-lookin' for an invite to the f-fisheries. Nuts! I say! but if'n you head to the wharf masters office and find ole Peach a research camera maybe I could manage an invite" he said, sounding like he was trying to speak clearly around his shivers. Then humming and the sound of hooks clanging echoed behind (Y/N) and Jack. "What was that!?" Peach questioned as rose petals started to fall on (Y/N) and Jack. "My friends. You are fucked!" Peach said before closing the slat. "Oh crap...Spider Splicer..." (Y/N) said as she pulled her Shotgun out and turned to face the room with the door at her back, the humming still echoing in the room.

(Y/N) was about to walk further into the room when the Splicer dropped from the hole in the ceiling and immediately jumped toward them to attack with her metal hooks. (Y/N) was able to dodge before she was hit, but Jack wasn't so lucky as he took the sharp hook to his shoulder. He let out a pained grunt as he pointed his own Shotgun at the Splicer and pulled the trigger, blowing the things head almost clean off.

As it's body slumped to the floor the slat in the door opened again to show Peach's welding mask covered face. "Look on the conveyor belt, I'm sending something that should keep you alive. Now find that camera and then snapshots of those that crawls on the ceiling...Then I'll let you into the fisheries" he said before closing the slat once more and the belt started moving. A few moments later a Rocket Launcher appeared and (Y/N) and Jack just looked at each other for a few moments in surprise. "Just how hard does he think it is to kill those things?" (Y/N) asked no one in particular, Jack just shrugged in response before wincing in pain at his injury. Then (Y/N)'s radio crackled to life and Peach's voice came through again. "Just remember, sonny friend: I smell an ounce of Fontaine on you, and I'll have you in a b-box! Atlas gives you the vouch, but I ain't turnin' my eye just on his say so!" he warned before the radio went silent, (Y/N) wondered how he found the frequency for her radio but didn't question it.

Just as Jack and (Y/N) were starting the walk to the wharf masters office (Y/N)'s radio crackled again, only this time it was Atlas' voice that came from it. "One of the few times that my stolen identity has come in handy. While everyone else is thinkin' that Fontaine is dead, I get to use his 'new' identity to our advantage" he said before the radio went quiet again and they continued on their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome!


	9. Photography.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) and Jack must get their hands on the Research Camera and get Peach his pictures if they want to move forward...Sadly it's never that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Atlas is here...! Sorta...!

As (Y/N) and Jack walked she found herself glancing at three things: Jack's injured shoulder, her radio, and the space around them.

Jack injury because she was worried that it would get infected if they didn't do something about it soon.

Her radio because for some reason she really wanted to head Atlas' voice, which she found to be incredibly sexy, not that she would admit that to anyone.

And around of them because every few seconds she could swear that she heard the sound of hooks in concrete. But like Atlas' voice she had no intentions of admitting to her paranoia. She didn't want Jack to feel the need to be wary of her.

After a while they reached an area that was a floor above where they entered. The Little Sister and her Big Daddy were wondering around ahead of them and (Y/N) decided that they may as well take care of them now. "Stay in cover...I'm gonna go take care of the Big Daddy" she said not even glancing Jack's direction. "Why now? Why not do it before we leave?" he asked confusedly, his voice a little strained from the pain in his shoulder. "Because if we get in a fight with a Splicer while he's around and accidentally hit him then he'll attack anyway. It's better for it to a one-on-one fight than one-on-who knows how many" she explained, her eyes finally drifting to Jack's fatigued figure leaning against the wall. "Just stay here. I'll call you when it's safe" she continued as she made her way toward the Big Daddy.

Once she was within ten feet of it she pulled out her Tommy gun and loaded her armor piercing rounds before shooting up a syringe of EVE. She aimed at the Big Daddy and open fired, the yellow glow in his seeing ports turned red as he turned her way and the Little Sister shrieked before hiding behind the Daddy. (Y/N) jumped for cover as it started to shoot at her and charged a handful of Electrobolt before peaking out from behind her cover to shock it before unleashing a hail of bullets on it.

After repeating that pattern for a few minutes the Big Daddy fell to the floor with a dying groan as the light in the seeing port went black. (Y/N) felt pity for the poor creature. No one ever asked to be made one of them, and if they did then they were a fool. She turned toward Jack's hiding place and called out. "Jack. It's safe" she said before turning to the Little Sister, who was still crying over the body of her 'father'. Once Jack was standing next to her he didn't even need to be told that he had to save the Sister, he just did it. As the glow died out and the girl gave them a happy 'thank you!' (Y/N) turned toward Jack and eyed his shoulder once more. "Let me bandage that. We can stitch it up when we're on the Bathysphere out but I don't want you bleeding out between now and then" she said, leaving no room for argument on Jack's part.

(Y/N) had Jack sit by a wall and remove his sweater, needless to say she was a bit surprised at how muscular he was under all that beige but didn't comment on it, as her mind was still on how much she missed Atlas, for some reason that she didn't really know. She pulled one of the First-Aid kits from her satchel and pulled out the gauze, anti-bacterial wipes, and medical tape. She started by wiping the blood away from the area around the wound, so she could see it better, and found that it would definitely need stitches later. Then she went right into cleaning the wound itself, Jac hissed when the alcoholic wipe touched his open skin but he didn't move as she kept cleaning, a quiet 'sorry' leaving her lips as she did so. When she finished cleaning it she started to wrap the gauze around it just tight enough to stay on but not tight enough to restrict Jack's movements in a fight. She tied it off with the medical tape and handed him his sweater.

Once Jack was back on his feet their were back on the move and trying to get to the Wharf Masters office. Along the way they came to a security gate that was held shut by a chain and padlock, but Jack made short work of it with his wrench. But they were then met with a set of stairs with a security camera at the top. There was no way to hack it before an alarm was triggered so (Y/N) just shocked it and shit it till it blew up, rather spectacularly in fact, before they ascended the stairs and were met with yet another camera, but this one was close enough for her to hack. So she waited till it was pointing away from her and went to the blind spot directly underneath it and set to work fiddling with wires till the light went from red to green. After that they were back on their way.

They went up the last set of stairs and were met with the sight of a large sign that read 'Wharf Masters Office' and didn't hesitate to continue forward. As they made their way in (Y/N)'s radio cracked to life and Atlas' voice came through. "The Research Camera looks just like any other you'd find down here or topside. Accordin to this magazine article I scrounged up, it can also 'analyze genetic information, parse biological structures' and lots of other five dollar words. I'm also pretty sure that the place is crawlin with security machines so be careful" he said before the radio went silent again.

Jack busted the lock and chain off another locked security gate and just as it opened they had to take cover quickly. Atlas was right, the place is crawling with security. (Y/N) shocked and shot the turret before they moved forward and found that there was another to their right. This time Jack shocked and shot it. Then they went around the corner and were met with, you guessed it, another turret. (Y/N) took care of this one and then they were almost there when they were met with one final turret and a security camera, (Y/N) let Jack have the turret while she shot down the camera.

Along the way (Y/N) couldn't help but notice all the smugglers crates stacked around the place. She remembered hearing the Splicers talking about the trouble that Ryan had had with smugglers bringing in things that he decided he didn't like, which honestly wasn't for him to say, no matter who the city belongs to.

Once they were through the door to the Wharf Masters offices waiting room they found that the door to the actual office was blocked by large pieces of rubble. (Y/N) thought about trying to blow a path with some explosives but that ran the risk of causing a cave in. So instead she kept looking around, soon finding a hole in the wall just big enough for them to fit through. "It's a good think I'm not claustrophobic..." she muttered to herself as she crawled through.

Once through they were met with a hallway and more confiscated smugglers crates, a few filing cabinets. They pushed on as they had for multiple hours now, what time was it? Was it day? Might? Who knew anymore...Time had stopped mattering to most of the cities inhabitants months ago.

Upon rounding the final corner they found the office that they'd been looking for and didn't hesitate to go in. What they were met with was a cluttered desk with a pin board over it on the wall, a few filing cabinets, and a window leading to an interrogation room, that happened to have a Spider Splicer in it. The Splicer was singing and muttering about religious stuff that (Y/N) just ignored as she made a B-line for the camera sitting on the desk.

As you picked it up your radio crackled to life and Peach's voice rasped through. "Good, you got the camera. Now get me snap snaps on those Sp-pider Splicer! And don't come back down here 'til you got my research!" he said before the radio went quiet. (Y/N) and Jack looked at each other before shrugging and (Y/N) lifted the camera to her eye, taking a picture of the Spider Splicer through the window. It instantly spit out a picture with writing on the back that said 'Spider Slicers are vulnerable to Anti-Personnel Rounds'. After pocketing the picture she looked at Jack. "How many do do you think we should get?" she asked as she tucked the camera into her satchel. "I don't know. I think no more than three is best. The less time we spend down here hunting these things the better" he answered as he looked around. They left the Spider Splicer in the interrogation room, know that it couldn't get out and attack them, and went on their way.

As they made their way out they heard shouting followed by an explosion. Then a Splicer, that happened to be on fire, started shooting at them. (Y/N) was quick to deliver a fatal shot to it before they continued, quickly finding that their previous path is now blocked and their only way out was through a broken window to the floor below. On the floor below there was a security camera and a Splicer, that seemed to be getting its attention. "You shoot the camera. I'll get the Splicer" (Y/N) said as she checked the bullets in her pistol before taking aim. It took one shot to the head to drop the Splicer but the camera took about three before it blew up.

With those obstacles out of the way the two started to climb down to the tall stack of fish crates just under them. Jack went first and when he was on the ground (Y/N) started her decent. Once she reached the last stack of crates, which happened to be two on top of each other, Jack lifted his hand to help her down. She didn't need the help but gave him her hand anyway, call her sentimental if you want but she appreciated the gesture.

As soon as they had both feet on the ground they found that there was a security gate blocking them from going to where they were before, the only way was through a door with a sign next to it with arrows pointing. The sign said 'Fighting Mcdonagh's' on one arrow and 'Jet Postal' on the other. "Guess we're going this way..." (Y/N) said as she went on, not really caring what they had to do to get out of there at this point.

As they walked (Y/N)'s radio came to life with Atlas' voice. "You got the camera? Good. Guess it's time to get to work for ol' Peachy. Take the man's pictures, and let's get the Hell outta this place" he said before going quiet. (Y/N) wouldn't admit it but she was definitely falling for Atlas, the sound of his voice sent a pleasant shiver up her spine and she always found herself wanting to hear his talk more. And he wasn't bad looking to boot. She just wished that they hadn't met in such a way.

They went through another door and were met with another glass hallway, but this one split off in two directions. Jet Postal and Fighting McDonagh's Bar. "Let's look at Jet Postal first, the place isn't big and we can be in and out" she said as she turned right, Jack just nodded and followed.

As they entered they found a dark empty main room. "It's not here. Let's check in the back" she said in a low whisper as she reloaded her Shotgun. They went through the door and into the workers only area. As soon they rounded the corner They saw the Spider Splicer holding onto the wall above their heads. (Y/N) was quick to pull out the camera and take a picture, shoving the paper with the camera back into her satchel, before she aimed at it with her Shotgun. It jumped from the wall at them and swung it's hooks, barely missing (Y/N)'s throat once. (Y/N) aimed her Shotgun at its head and fired, like before it almost blew the things head off. She sighed and was about to walk out, Jack in toe, when her eye caught something in an open drawer of one of the desks. She scurried over and looked around for a moment before a laugh left her as she pulled out a couple of candy bars. "Hungry?" she asked as she tossed one to Jack. He caught it and stared for a moment before quickly ripping the wrapper off an devouring it like a man dying of hunger, which he might have been, it's hard to say. (Y/N) ate her own while they walked across the way to the Fighting McDonagh's Bar.

As they walked through the door they were met with laughing and the sound of hooks in concrete. "I guess we're on the right track..." (Y/N) muttered as she kept walking. They went up the short flight of stairs and entered the bar, not finding even one Splicer. They looked around for a moment before going up to the second level of the bar, where there were rooms for 'rent', and once they were at the top of the stairs they saw an open door with the Spider Splicer in it before it closed and opened again to show that it was gone. "Great...We're hunting Houdini" (Y/N) said sarcastically before forcing herself forward. They were half way to the door when her radio came on and Peach spoke. "Now are ever bringing old Peach them Snappies? Or are you just sight seein'?" he asked impatiently before it went quiet. (Y/N) picked it up from her hip and pressed the call button. "You want the pictures or not Peach? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. We could have said no and found another way to get where we need to be. Then you'd be out of a lot of hard earned research" she taunted, knowing that it was all a bluff. Peach didn't reply so she assumed that she'd made her point and they continued into the room where they saw the Spider Splicer.

As they entered she had the camera ready but they found the room empty. A tired sign escaped her as they turned and exited the room. To say that they were surprised to find the same Spider Splicer on the ceiling above them would be an understatement. As with before (Y/N) quickly snapped the picture and pulled her gun out to shoot it, but Jack beat her to the punch. It fell to the floor with a gurgle as it died and they went on their way.

With all of the pictures in hand they went back to Fontaine Fisheries and knocked on the door again. The slat slid open and showed the welders mask once more. "The wharf rats didn't get themselves et. You got something for me and my crew, or are you just lookin' to get criticized? You set a sp-pell, I needs to set on some coffee, maybe puts on silverware and the like" he said with a light chuckle before the slat closed and all was quiet for a bit.

Then your radio sounded with Atlas' voice. "Before you head into the Fisheries, a word to the wise. Ol' Peachy seems about as straight as a dogs hind leg. You keep your eyes open" he said before going quiet as the door opened. As you walked in you head Peach's voice through your radio once again. "Nobody walks into my Swampy carrying the heat. Put your weapons in the pneumo, and then I'll let you in" he said, sounding more than a little sinister at the end. (Y/N) and Jack shared a 'no way in Hell' look before Atlas' spoke again. "If that's his price, you're gonna have to pay it. But he can't very well take your Plasmids away, now can he?" he said before going quiet.

(Y/N) sighed as she put her guns in the tube next to Jack's, shooting up with EVE right after doing so, and handed a syringe to the brunet next to her. "Best to recharge before we head in there. Who know what that madman will do" she said as he took it from her hand.

The door next to the tube opened and as they entered the hallway she looked at Jack to find that he'd kept his wrench. A light chuckle escaped her. "You and that wrench. It's like you're in love with it" she teased with a giggle as they walked. Jack get a quiet chuckle. "Maybe I am. It's really no different for you and Atlas though is it?" he teased back, causing you to freeze on the spot and look at him with wide eyes and red cheeks. You thought about denying it but sign and looked up at his embarrassed. "Is it that obvious?" she asked quietly, a small frown on her lips. Jack sighed quietly. "A little. You perk up and blush whenever you heard his voice on the radio. Kinda gives it away" he said in an understanding older brother kind of way. "If you tease me about it when we're around him. I won't hesitate to shove your beloved wrench up your ass...Then again you might like that, considering how in love with it you are" she said, once more teasing, as she gave a light punch to his uninjured shoulder. He chuckled but didn't say anything as they continued on.

As soon as they entered the Fisheries they were met with thick mist and Peach's voice from the radio. "Now, I bet when your boss weggled out of Hell he done told the Devil he'd be right back and the Devil says, sure thing Mr. Fontaine, I'll hold you a sp-pot. Ryan promised that Fontaine was dust, and now here you are doing his dirty...I guess that makes Ryan a bum, and you a-" he didn't finish as the radio went quiet and the sound his shouting as he ran toward them with a box of small explosives. He went to throw one but (Y/N) caught it with her Telekinesis before throwing it back at his feet. It threw him back but didn't kill him as he got back up and went running as more Splicer ran into the room and tried to attack them. (Y/N) saw three of them standing in a large pool of water and used Electrobolt to fry them as Jack set fire to four more. The Peach was back and this time he stood in the wrong spot. He had stopped in the same puddle as the three other Splicers that (Y/N) just killed, so when she saw this she charged and fired without hesitation. He jolted for a few seconds as the electricity coursed through his body before dropping to the floor with a splash.

With all the Splicers either dead or dying they went on their way, finding their weapons in another pneumo by the stairs that would take them to the so sought after Bathysphere.

After putting everything away (Y/N)'s radio came on with Atlas. "The submarine was only used by smugglers and thieves. More than likely, the entrance will be hidden- better to keep the coppers off the scent" he said before it went quiet. They continued on and came to a fork in the road, so to speak, They could go into a freezer on the right to look for the secret entrance or they could go into the freezer on the left, either way they were going to go into a freezer. After a bit of thinking they went into the one on the right and as they entered they were met with the fussy sight of two men who were talking. "You can't quit...Fontaine will find you..." one said worriedly. "Hey, fuck Fontaine!" the other said uncaringly. The the first one grabbed the other and and said with urgency. "You don't fuck Fontaine. Fontaine fucks you" before they both disappeared. Jack looked at (Y/N) with a somewhat fearful expression. "It may not seem like it but that's actually pretty normal around here...Everyone sees them" she said before looking the way the ghosts came from and found a hole in the wall that was blocked by ice. With a snap of her fingers it was melting and they were on their way once more.

"You got it! Should be smooth sailin' from here. I'll meet ya up ahead!" Atlas said through the radio as they entered cave.

As they walked Jack suddenly stopped with a quiet groan as he held his head. "You ok?" (Y/N) asked worriedly as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. He nodded slowly after a moment. "Yeah...Just got a head ache all of a sudden..." he said before shaking his head and walking ahead. (Y/N) watched him worriedly for a moment before catching up to him.

They went through a small caver and a few other hallways before they made it to where they needed to be. "There it is..." (Y/N) said before Atlas spoke through the radio. "Hit the Switch up there in the control booth, and let me in. Boyo, I think it's time we shake hands and get antiquated. (Y/N), I'm honesly lookin' forward to seein' a friendly familiar face" he said before he went quiet.

They had to climb over some rubble to get to the control booth, and on the way they could head Ryan trying to dissuade them from pulling the switch but they both ignored him.

After breaking one more lock and chain on a gate they were in the booth with the switch in plain view. "Do you wanna do it? Or shall I?" (Y/N) asked as she eyed the panel. Jack didn't hesitate to pull it. Sparks flew as the lights when out in the booth as loud beeping echoed. After a moment or two they saw Atlas run out in front of the sub through the window as he looked up at them. "You blow a fuse up there? Can't see a damn thing in that booth. Give me a tick, and I'll have you out" He said as he started to tinker with a control panel down on his level. Then (Y/N) looked up and saw Spider Splicers crawling from the ceiling over the sub as Ryan's voice came through the radio. "So dark in there...If only your friend could look up and see you...Maybe you could warn him...If only you could do something...Anything...Except watch him die..." he said before the radio went quiet again. You ripped it from your hip and pressed the button. "Atlas! Get out of there! Take cover!" you shouted frantically as a metal pipe fell in front of the window, blocking your view of him, as Spider Splicers crawled down the window.

They started to hear grunting and gun shots as (Y/N) ran to the door on the other side of the booth and started to hit it with the butt of her Shotgun as hard as she could. "Splicer! They're everywhere! I can't hold them!" he said through the radio as the door opened and they bolted through, killing every Splicer in their way with cold precision.

When they made it to the level that the sub was one they didn't get far before it blew up. "NO!!!" (Y/N) shrieked, thinking that Atlas was in the blast zone. "Get out! Get to Arcadia!" Atlas' voice came through the radio as they ran to the only door in the room. Tears streaked down (Y/N) face in both sorrow and relief as they went.

When they went through the door to Arcadia they were in a cemetery. There was a mausoleum in the middle and Atlas was leaning against it waiting for them. As soon as he saw them he stood straight and (Y/N) launched herself at him in tears. "I thought you'd died!" she sobbed pitifully as he held her, his hold tightening at her words and his hand running through her hair gently. "It's ok, lass...I'm right here" he said quietly before looking at Jack, who was starting a few feet away awkwardly. "Hey kid. I'm Atlas. Nice to meet ya" Atlas said with a sort of depressed chuckle.

If Ryan thought that that was the end of it. Then he was in for a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter is long. I hope you like it. Comments are always appreciated!


	10. Arcadia.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plan goes sound and Atlas, (Y/N), and Jack are forced to flee into Arcadia where they must make a new plan, but can they keep level heads when Ryan throws them yet another curve ball? And what will (Y/N) do now that she's with Atlas again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ATLAS ATLAS ATLAS!!! At long last we have more Atlas! I'm gonna have to fight to keep it slow burn and I might jack that up entirely so forgive me if I seem like I'm rushing it.

They all sat next to the mausoleum by the door where they entered Arcadia trying to catch their breath, and in (Y/N)'s staring at Atlas trying to assure herself that he was indeed right there and not dead. "We need to contact Tenenbaum and let her know that the plan fell through..." Atlas said quietly as he reached for his radio and pressed the button. "Tenenbaum? You still alive?" he asked, clearly worried but trying to hide it. "Yes. We're all ok and waiting for you" she replied after a few moments. "Small problem. Ryan blew up the Bathysphere we were going to pick you up in...We'll have to come up with a new escape plan" he said solemnly. A disheartened sigh came through be Tenenbaum spoke again. "Very well. I leave that to you. Let me know when you think of something" she said before the radio went silent again.

Atlas put his radio back on his belt and glanced back and forth at (Y/N) and Jack. "There's no way that we're gonna get outta here with Ryan still alive...He's gonna kill is before he lets us leave..." he said, his eyes going to the grassy ground as he said the last part. "So you're saying that we should kill him?" Jack questioned, somewhat disbelievingly. "Yes. It's the only way that we're going to be able to leave" Atlas said with a nod before looking at (Y/N)'s silent form. "What do you think (Y/N)?" Atlas asked quietly. "I think you're right. The only way that he'll let us leave is if he's dead...Or we are" she said looking at Atlas. "Then we have a plan. Kill Ryan. Find a new Bathysphere. Get Tenenbaum and the girls. Leave the city" he summarized with a nod, which both (Y/N) and Jack returned, before grabbing his radio and calling Tenenbaum. "We have a plan. You part doesn't change but you'll need to stay somewhere safe for a while longer" he said eyeing the ground as he waited for a reply. "Ok. I can do that. But hurry, I don't know how long I can keep the girls hidden" Tenenbaum replied.

With the new plan in mind they started to walk into Arcadia. They had only just crossed the threshold when (Y/N)'s radio crackled and Ryan's voice came through. "I came to this place to build the impossible. You came to rob what you could never build, a hun gaping at the gates of Rome. Event he air you breath is sponged from my account. Well, breath deep...So that later you might remember the taste" he said before it went quiet. "He sure does like the sound of his own voice..." (Y/N) muttered as they walked. "That sounded a lot like a threat. We should be careful" Jack said worriedly as his gripped his wrench a little tighter. "He's right. Let's get out where before something happens" Atlas said as he sped up his pace a bit.

As they were about to walk through another door another ghost appeared to them. This one was a woman. "What are you waiting for silly? It's beautiful!" she said flirtatiously before prancing through the door. "Damn ghosts...Everyone sees them, somethin' about left over genetics in recollected ADAM I think" Atlas said as they continued through the door. In the nearest corner two more ghosts appeared. A man and, seemingly, the same woman from before. "Oh sugar. I'm spliced up in ways you'd never dreamed of" she said as she leaned against a beam sexily. The male one chuckled. "Ger over here" he said as he pulled her to his lap as he sat on the bench, she giggled and they both disappeared. Instead of commenting on it they all just silently watched for a moment before continuing on.

Then they started to hear the sound of someone calling for help. All three shared a wary look before readying their weapons, (Y/N) reloaded her Shotgun, Atlas check his pistol, and Jack held his wrench at the ready. They followed the sound of the calling and as they rounded a corner and went through a door they saw a man run away, out of sight, followed by a whooshing sound. (Y/N) ran to where he had been and saw pieces of char fluttering to the ground. "Oh shit..." she whispered as she kept moving forward toward a slightly floored area. The sound of footsteps running in the water and the whooshing sounded. "What was that?" Jack asked when he and Atlas caught up. "Houdini Splicers...They spliced with an unstable Teleporting Plasmid. Most of them also have Incinerate and they're very good with it...Keep your eyes pealed" she explained as she looked around carefully. "We best push on...I don't want to get locked in here with them" Atlas said as they continued forward.

They went up a few flights on stairs and when they reached the top they were met with another door. Not thinking anything of it they went through and were surprised by a ball of fire racing past their heads. "Hello beautiful!" the Splicer behind them said as (Y/N) whipped around and shot him with her Shotgun, putting a huge hold in his chest. He fell to the floor with a loud shlump sound as (Y/N) looked down at him. If looks could kill her glare would kill the already dead Splicer all over again. Without speaking she started walking in the direction they were going before.

As they walked Atlas walked next to her. "Why do I get the feeling that there's a personal vendetta between you and those Splicers?" he asked carefully as he looked ahead. "Because there is...Those where the Splicers that never got caught when they stole Little Sisters...I was never able to catch them because by the time I could see them they were on the other end of the city with the Sister" she all but growled. Atlas just nodded and placed a gentle and understanding hand on her shoulder.

As they approached the Arcadia Glenns they heard a woman shriek. "The Saturnine! Run!" she screamed. As they walked through the door they saw here running in front of them but she was quickly killed by a blast a fire. "This is our place! Ours!" a male voice shouted followed by the whooshing sound. "This just keeps getin' better and better..." Atlas muttered as they kept walking.

They soon heard the sound of a Big Daddy moaning and quiet whispers from a Little Sister. "Should we deal with them now, or later?" Atlas asked looking at (Y/N) and Jack. "The sooner the better" (Y/N) said, her eyes not leaving the duo before them. Jack just nodded as (Y/N) just looked at him. "Stay here. Just like before, I'll call you when it's safe" she said, to which he nodded again and hunkered down behind the wall.

Atlas and (Y/N) rounded the corner the rest of the way and aimed their guns, loaded with armor piercing rounds, at the Big Daddy. "There a reason you don't let him help you?" he asked as he watched the Daddy. "I don't want him to die" she answered simply as she charged a decent sized zap of Electrobolt before letting it loose on the large creature in front of them. It roared as they started to spray it with bullets. It charged at them with its drill and they were forced to dodge in opposite directions as it passed them and crashed into the wall, sending large chunks of rock an dust everywhere. (Y/N) zapped it again and they started to open fire like before.

It soon roared its death as the Little Sister cried over its corpse. "Jack. Come on" she called as she eyed the girl. When Jack ran over he didn't hesitate to knell down to the girls height and was about to save her when Atlas stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Let me" he said, leaving no room to argue. Jack just nodded and stood as Atlas took his place and, with exquisite care, placed his hand on the girls forehead. Light engulfed both of them and soon faded, leaving the girl with a smile on her face. "Thank you" she said as she hugged Atlas before running to the nearby vent. Atlas watched her go and didn't stand up till she disappeared in the vent. "Let's get going" he said as he stared walking.

As they walked, entering a new area, (Y/N) radio came on and Ryan's voice came through again. "On the surface, I once bought a forest. The Parasites claimed that the land belonged to God, and demanded that I establish a public park there. Why? so the rabble could stand slack-jawed under the canopy, and pretend that it was Paradise earned. When Congress moved to nationalize my forest, I burnt it to the ground. God did not plant the seeds of this Arcadia. I did" he said before it went quiet. "Does he ever shut up?" (Y/N) asked Atlas, having never noticed how much of a talker Ryan was. "Sadly. No" he said as they moved on.

As they entered the Rolling Hills a low rumbling sound came on as a green mist started to fall from the ceiling. "What is that?" (Y/N) asked as she coughed, as if she wasn't getting enough air. "I don't know..." Atlas replied as he looked around at the slowly dying trees. "I'm no Botanist...But I think Ryan just killed Arcadia...Bottom of the ocean. No trees, no oxygen...I need to think...Langford. She made Arcadia, no matter what Ryan said, if anyone can fix this. It's her" he said as he started toward a door not far from where they were standing.

After going through it they found another glass hallway with a pneumo tube by the door on the other end. As they approached two monitors above the door came on and showed a picture of a woman, who (Y/N) assumed to be Langford. "My trees! It wasn't you, was it? No...Ryan!....I think I have a way to save the trees, it's a genetic vector that-...Oh look who I'm talking to...Could you find me a sample of Rosa Gallica for me?...Look in the Grotto...I've got to keep working here while there's still time..." she said, then the monitors went off. "I guess we're gonna go look for a flower..." Atlas said as they all left to look for the Grotto.

As the reentered they were met with a few Splicers, which were taken care of quickly. They were about to continue on when a male voice started shouting at them. "You defile this place!" he said as he set fire to a couple of creep effigies before disappearing. (Y/N) didn't hesitate to chase after the Houdini Splicer as Atlas called her to stop. As she entered she heard the whoosh behind her and whipped around, her Shotgun up and ready, shooting the Splicer as soon as he materialized. Atlas and Jack caught up with her and looked down at it's body. "Don't run off like that. You could get you're self hurt" he said, somewhat angry. "I used to be a Big Sister, Atlas. I think I'll be ok" she said as she put her Shotgun away and started walking again. Atlas sighed before following her.

It didn't take them long to find the Grotto, but they were more than a little disappointed to hear the sound of a turret near by, and to see that someone had set some electric tripwires as well. With a sigh (Y/N) pulled the darts from the walls and tossed them aside, careful not to touch the dangerous part. As they reached the corner in front of the turret (Y/N) charged some Electrobolt and shocked it before darting around and setting to work hacking it. As soon as the light on it turned green she was up and aiming her pistol at the security camera that she could reach to hack.

As they descended the stairs they were almost seen by a rocket turret. After shocking it she hacked it as well. They soon were standing it thigh deep water looking at a big rose bush. "Which one should we take?" (Y/N) asked looking up at the blooms. "I'd say the biggest one we can find is best. Who know how much of a 'sample' she needs" Jack said as they all started to look over the bush. After a while Jack pointed one out and it seemed to be the best out of all so they plucked it and (Y/N) put it in her satchel fro safe keeping.

They were just about to leave when Atlas plucked one of the smaller blooms and caught up to (Y/N). Once he was right next to her he wordlessly slipped it behind her ear. She froze in surprise for a moment as her fingers brushed over the velvety petals. She looked at him, her cheeks turning a bright crimson that rivaled that of the flower in her hair, her expression was asking a question that she didn't seem able to voice: Why?

"A Bonnie lass like you deserves to look her best. Even when trying to escape from a fallen city" he said quietly, a small loving smile spreading over his lips. The words caused her face to become even redder as she forced her eyes away from him and went on, a small smile of her own etched across her face.

One they made it back to the Rolling Hills they were met with the monitors flashing on, showing the same picture as before. "You've got the Rosa Gallica? Well, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Send it through the pneumo!" Langford said impatiently. (Y/N) was quick to pull it out of her satchel and put it in the tube. After a few moments Langford started to speak again. "Yes, this is perfect...Perfect...Come on up to my office...I'm letting you in now...I think I've got just the thing to put the green back in this forest" she said as the door opened. There was no hesitation from any of the three companions as they filed in and went in sure of the office.

Upon entering they were met with multiple turrets and cameras but before they could react they heard Langford over a P.A.. "I've got the security system in this joint hacked, so those turrets wont bite. Come on up to my office" she said. It took them a moment or two to continue on, albeit warily, they soon found a set of stairs that were surrounded by a glass hallway. Assuming that this was the way to her office they started to climb the stairs and at the top they found another door. On the other side they saw another door and a large window.

Through the window they could see Langford hard at work on her vector but soon they heard Ryan over the P.A.. "Julie, we made a business deal, you and I, did we not? Money changed hands. Let me read to you from the agreement...Section 3, Subsection 4" he started but Langford attempted to get his attention. "Mr. Ryan?" she questioned but Ryan kept talking. "'Ryan Corp maintains EXCLUSIVE rights to the creation, use, and exploitation of the Lazarus Vector.' Ownership in civilization, Julie. Without it, we're back in the swamp..." he said as the same green mist that killed the trees filled the room beyond the glass. Langford soon started to cough and hack as she suffocated. "No! Please! MR. RYAN!!!" she shrieked through her coughs. As her final suffocated coughs were made the window misted over and she started to write numbers on it. The final number was a little smeared but it was easy to tell what it said.

No sooner had the thump of her body hitting the floor sounded did a ding sound from the door and it opened, causing what was left of the mist to floor out. "Hold your breath!" (Y/N) shouted as she pulled the collar of her shirt over her nose and mouth. The other two did the same as it slowly cleared and when it had they wondered into the room.

When they entered Atlas went to her body and started to search her. "What are you doing?" (Y/N) asked as she watched him with a confused expression. "There has to be something that can help us make this 'Vector'" he said, but he didn't find anything. His eyes soon found the numbers on the window. "That looks an awful lot like a combination..." he said as he looked around the room for a moment before seeing a plant poster on the wall next to a desk.

Upon opening it with the numbers he pulled out a voice recorder and pressed play. Langford's voice came through. "What the point of being a damned genius if the only ones around to appreciate it are a bunch of spliced up morons? I've cracked the Vector. Or at least I'm 99% certain I have. I just need a bud of Rose Gallica to confirm my analysis. Distilled water, a bit of chlorophyll, and enzymes extracted from Apis Mellifera. That's right sweet hearts, Honey Bee spit" her voice said on it before it went off. "Well now we know what we need" Atlas said looking from the recorder to (Y/N) and Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	11. Lazarus Vector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Atlas, (Y/N), and Jack must make the Lazarus Vector before they run out of air, but what happens when one of their group is too hurt to continue?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blah blah blah story stuff blah blah blah...

Atlas, (Y/N), and Jack were on their way out when sound of gun shots and shouting was heard in the direction they came from. "Here we go again..." (Y/N) said watching the door warily. "How are you on ammo?" Atlas asked them as he wrote what they needed on a piece of scrap paper. "I'm good on pistol bullets but I'm almost out of shells for my Shotgun" she answered as she looked through her satchel. "I think I have a few more shots with both my Shotgun and pistol but I have this and my Plasmids" Jack said as he lifted his wrench for emphasis. "Then let's try to fight our way out and hope for the best" Atlas said with a sigh as he went to the door.

Once they reached the lower floor they were met with Splicers brandishing clubs and guns. The group didn't bother with caution as they open fired on the spliced up morons. But it was soon discovered that with Langford dead the security had turned against them and as soon as they entered its range one of the turrets started to fire at them, but it was quickly dispatched by a shock of Electrobolt and a few well placed bullets. (Y/N) was able to hack the nearby camera so it was on their side. But like the previous one they had to destroy the other turret before it killed them.

They started to make their way to the Farmer Market, having to fight a number of Splicers on the way but they were able to defeat them with at least relative ease. So upside, they all made it out with minimal casualties. Downside, Jack was getting worse with his shoulder injury still largely untreated. "We can't stop but he can't go any further" Atlas said in thought as they entered the Farmers Market, Jack was all but being dragged by (Y/N) at this point from fatigue and blood lose. "We'll find somewhere to hide and you can stay with him. I can get the stuff we need for the Vector" (Y/N) said as she shifted Jack arm over her shoulders slightly. "There a reason you want me to stay with him?" Atlas asked as he watched around all the corners for any Splicers. "Because I know I can get in and out of each place a lot quicker than you can...Perks of being small" she said, grunting the last part as Jack stumbled a bit, forcing her to jostle him a bit to get his feet back under his body. "Far enough" Atlas muttered with a slight shrug as he checked around a corner before waving her over.

They were soon able to find a small produce stand that had a crawl space behind the counter that was big enough for both men. "Stay here, I'll be back as quick as I can" (Y/N) said as she dug around in her satchel for a moment before grabbing a First-Aid kit and handing it to Atlas with a quick. "Here" before moving to slide the crawl space door closed. But she was stopped by Atlas who half leaned half crawled toward her, his hand on her cheek and his face getting closer to hers and, before she knew what was happening, his lips were hers. She froze for a moment before returning the kiss lightly. Atlas soon pulled back from the kiss and looked her in the eyes. "Stay alive" he said before crawling back into the space and sliding the door closed.

(Y/N) stayed frozen for a few moments before shaking her head and going on her way.

She soon came to a door that lead to glass hallway with a large sigh over it that told her that the Bee Keepers shop and Winery was that way. She continued on and went to the Bee Keepers shop first. When she entered she saw a Splicer hitting and kicking a small man made Bee Hive she thought for a moment that maybe it was abandoned by the small stinging creatures when the Splicer opened one of the drawers and was swarmed by the Bees that were hidden inside. He started to scream and wave his arms around in panic. (Y/N) quickly back tracked to keep from getting attacked as well.

When she heard the angry buzzing stop she peeked back inside and found that the Bees seemed to have cleared the area. She entered the rest of the way and made a point to stay away from the hive next to her, as she didn't know if there were any more Bees in it or not, and started to look around for the Bee spit that was apparently needed. Not finding any in the front of the shop she went through the only door in that area and found not only the small hive boxes but a massive hive hanging from the ceiling. She stared at it for a few moments before looking at the switches that activated the smokers and didn't hesitate to flip the switch.

A ticking sound started as the Bees cleared and she was able to enter and dig through the hive boxes. Soon she heard the ticking get quicker and quicker and she had to run back to the cover where the switches were. The Bees came swarming back out and she found that she had about half of the Bee spit she needed for the Vector. So she flipped the switch again and went running back out and started searching again. This time she was done looking before the ticking got the chance to speed up.

When she left she went straight to the Winery. As she entered she saw two dead Splicers on the floor and wondered for a moment why they wore the masks like they did, but chose not to dwell on it as she went around the corner, only to have to hide again as she was shot at by a turret. A sigh left her as she moved to the other corner, closer to the turret, and hit it with Electrobolt and started to hack it. With the green light on she went back to the task at hand. She found a couple of bottles of distilled water and had just put them in her satchel when Atlas' voice came through her radio. "How's it comin' Lass?" he asked, sounding more than a little tired. "So far so good. I got the Bee spit, and now I'm looking for the water. After this all that'll be left is the Chlorophyll" she answered as she went further into the Winery. "Good. Jack is no longer on deaths door and his sleeping it off a bit. I was able to stitch up the wound. Remind me to ask how he got hurt later" he said, she could imagine the worried look on his face as he spoke. "Will do. I'll let you know when I'm on my way back" she replied before putting the radio back on her belt.

She ended up going down a few flights of stairs, finding a bottle of water on the way, and when she reached the bottom she was met with walls and wall of wine bottles, she was tempted to grab one out of sheer curiosity but decided to keep her focus on her current task. She soon found all the water she needed and, to her delight, all the Chlorophyll she need along the way.

She was about to leave when she was cornered by a small group of Splicers, shouting something about her stealing the air. "Great...Just what I need" she muttered to herself as she reloaded her pistols. She peeked from behind her cover to see how many there were and how they were armed, finding that there five of them and only two had guns. She had to take another shot of EVE before she could take them on and when she did she reached out and set one ablaze with Incinerate before shooting at the other four.

The fight left her with a few new scratches but over all she was no worse for ware. She picked up her radio and pressed the call button. "Atlas, I'm on my way back. I have everything, we should head back to Langfords lab and make this Vector before we all suffocate" she said as she made her way back to the stairs she had descended a bit ago. "Good to hear Lass. We'll be waiting for you" Atlas replied after a few moments.

She was about to leave the Winery when she back tracked and grabbed one of the bottles of wine before continuing on. Who knew when a bottle of wine might come in handy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated!


	12. Escaping Arcadia.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our daring heroes finally have what they need to move forward in their quest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said 'slow to update' in the tags but I somehow have let this story take over my life...By the way...I wrote this at 1:30 in the morning...I hope you all understand the crap I put myself through for you people...

(Y/N) made her way back to the crawl space that she'd left Jack and Atlas in with haste, only having to stop a few times to avoid Splicers, and when she returned she found Jack completely asleep and Atlas looking bored out of his mind. "Is it just me, or is the air getting thinner?" she asked jokingly as she opened the crawl space door. "Hard to say with the lack of oxygen gettin' to my brain. You get the stuff?" he replied in the same joking manner as he crawled out of the space and stood straight, stretching his arms over head as he went. "Yeah. I'll we have to do now is get back to Langfords lab. How is he?" she asked nodding towards Jacks sleeping figure. "He's better now than he was before" Atlas replied looking back at the sleeping brunet.

After rousing Jack from his, not so peaceful, slumber they were back on the move and going to Langfords lab to make the Vector. They had to fight their way through more than a few Splicers but by the time they reached their destination they were, more or less, no worse for ware. As they entered the lab (Y/N) gave a relieved sigh, as the place hadn't been ransacked since they were gone, and immediately went to the U-Invent in the corner.

She put all the components in the machine and let it do it's thing, how it knew what to make with the parts she didn't know, but she didn't question it either, a few moments later it spit out a bottle with a green liquid in it. After looking in over curiously she handed it off to Atlas. "Ok...Now what?" she asked as she watched him. "We need to put it in the Central Misting Control over there and it should do the rest on it's own" he explained as he went over to the machine and inserted it into a slot. The machine immediately started to make noise as it processed the Vector. "Ah, listen to that damn thing gurgle and crank. How long is it going to take?" Atlas muttered irritably. "Hopefully not too long" (Y/N) said as she watched the machine do it job.

They were all prepared to simply sit and watch it till it was done but that plan, like many others they'd had up to this point, was dashed by the sound of Ryan over the radio. "It seems Julie's death didn't provide a clear enough lesson to you. Perhaps this will suffice" he said as explosions and metal being cut by a welding torch echoed from the lower level. "That doesn't sound good" Jack said as he watched the door warily. "Jack, stay here and when it's done throw that switch. (Y/N), come with me, we need to defend the lab till its ready" Atlas ordered as he went to the door, loading his pistol as he went. (Y/N) and Jack didn't argue as they went to do as told.

Atlas lead (Y/N) to the front entrance and threw a switch that sealed the door shut but the feeling of security didn't last long as soon they could see the light of a welding torch cutting through the thick metal door, in front of them as well as the two other doors in the lab behind them. "So now what?" (Y/N) asked as she looked between the not-so-secure door and Atlas. "Lock an' load. Get ready for a fight" he said as he cocked his pistol and aimed it at the door in front of them. "I'm going to the other room to secure those doors. Don't die" she said as she reloaded her Shotgun and left the room.

In the other room there were two more doors that were slowly being welded through. She picked up her radio and pressed the button. "Jack. How much longer are we looking at?" she asked as she held her gun at the ready and watched the door. "Still a while yet. It's going really slow" he replied back, his voice sounding antsy. "Damn..." she muttered as she put the radio back on her hip and cocked her gun. No sooner had she done that had the door fallen to the floor with a loud metallic thud. Two Splicers brandishing clubs raced out and charged at her with crazed yells. They didn't make it far as they were dispatched with a buckshot to the chest each but they were quickly replaced by two more from the door on the other end of the room, these two had machetes, they were taken care of with the same precision and swiftness that the previous two were.

It was right after that that (Y/N) heard the telltale whooshing sound of a Houdini Splicer teleporting into the room. She cocked her gun once more and looked around cautiously as she heard it teleport to different spots in the room, always staying out of sight, but soon a fire ball flew past her head causing her to whip around and unload three shots into the Splicers body. He fell to the floor with a wet shlump that at any other time would have probably made her grimace in disgust, but all she did was glare at its corpse for a few moments before a loud thumb sounded in the main entrance before the sound of angry grunting and gun shots were heard.

She darted toward the sound and found Atlas going head-to-head with six Splicers with nothing but his fists, it seemed that his gun was knocked away at some point in the tussle. She didn't hesitate to pull out her pistol and unload bullet after bullet into the drug addicted psychopaths. As they both stood there panting and staring at each other Atlas' eyes drifted down toward (Y/N)'s chest, not to ogle her low hanging top, but to see that the Celtic medallion that he'd given her had found its way out from under her shirt. "Guess it was more lucky for you than me" he joked tiredly through through his pants. "I guess so" she said in the same manner as a faint blush found her cheeks. Part of her wanted to ask about the kiss they'd shared mere hours ago but part of her didn't think that this was the best time. That point was proven when her radio crackled and Jack spoke. "The Vector is ready. You two should get up here" he said, still a bit antsy but not as much as before. (Y/N) picked up the radio and spoke. "Be right there" she said as she and Atlas started to make their way to the lab.

When they got there they were met with the sight of Jack standing by the machine patiently waiting for them, a concerned look evident on his face as he looked over at them. "Well, let's get this show on the road" Atlas said as he approached the machine and pulled the switch. As the Vector was dispersed into the air, or what was left of it, they could immediately see the trees coming back to life as everything rapidly turned green and flowered vines wound their way over the window behind the machine. And they could feel the sudden rush of air as the trees quickly started to produce oxygen. "Now that's taken care of. Let's get outta here" Atlas said as he went to leave, (Y/N) and Jack following wordlessly.

They made their way to the nearby Bathysphere port and set it to take them to take them to Fort Frolic, as it couldn't take them all the way to Hephaestus, where Ryan was hiding. 

As Bathysphere moved through the water (Y/N) found herself seated next to Atlas. And not just next to Atlas, but only inches away. So close in fact, she could smell his natural musk. No one spoke but somewhere along the way her head had found his shoulder as he fatigue started to get to her. He didn't pull away when he noticed this, rather he wrapped his arm around her and started to idly play with her (H/C) hair, curling it around his finger in a way that she found immensely soothing. She wasn't sure when but at some point she fell asleep like that for the next thing she remembered was Atlas lightly nudging her awake as the Bathysphere resurfaced at the Fort Frolic Port.

They all piled out and as she looked around she found herself hoping that they didn't have to stay there long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	13. Fort Frolic.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To get to Hephaestus out daring heroes must go through Fort Frolic. But, as with many things, it's not that simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now we get to meet everyone's favorite artistic psychopath. I might make a reference or two to Burial at Sea and Elisabeth's part in it, as it pertained to Cohen.

As they entered the outer parts of Fort Frolic Atlas made a gesture that told them to keep quiet. "Ryan handed the keys to this place to a guy named Sander Cohen. He's an artist says some. He's a section eight says I. I mean I've seen all kinds of cut throats, freaks, and head cases in my time. But Cohen...He takes the cake" he whispered as they made their way towards the Bathysphere port. But a moment later all their radios started to play Rise Rapture Rise, the national anthem of the city, a song written by Sander Cohen. "I got a bad feelin' about this. We best get movin'" Atlas said as they all started to walk faster toward the Bathysphere port.

Upon entering the dark port (Y/N) had a sinking feeling in her gut. Something wasn't right about this. Up to that point nothing had been that easy, and she was reluctant to believe that things would start to get simple now.

Turns out she was right. The moment the got to the top of the stairs that lead down to the Bathysphere the door to it closed and it sank beneath the water as curtains closed over the windows. A large bunny mask was on the wall in front of them and there were what looked like frozen bodies posed like statues along the walls and hanging from the ceiling from metal polls and light piano music started to play. "Ah, that's better" Cohen's voice came through the P.A. . "Atlas, Ryan, Atlas, Ryan. Duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, dugh. Time was, you could get something decent on the radio. The artist had a duty: to seduce the ear, and delight the spirit. So say goodbye to those two blow-hards. And Hello! to an evening with Sander Cohen" he said before going quiet, leaving only the piano music playing. "I get the feelin' that he either doesn't know I'm here, or knows that I'm not the same 'Atlas' that started the rebellion" Atlas said, eyeing the ceiling like it was going to attack him. "What now?" (Y/N) asked, watching Atlas curiously. "We do whatever that loon wants us to do so he'll let us leave" he answered exasperatedly as he went to walk back to the entrance to Fort Frolic.

As the door opened they were met with the same area as before, but there were now electric trip wires everywhere, blocking the door that they had come through when they arrived at Fort Frolic. "Now, I haven't seen a sign of real life down here in months. Let's see if you're just another Johnny come lady*. Maybe, something more delicious" he said over Jacks radio as they went toward the main door to the Fort. Then the sounds of hooks in concrete sounded over head, followed by crazed yelling. "Oh shit. Spider Splicers!" Atlas yelled as he pulled out is pistol, the other two doing the same with their weapons.

Soon three Spider Splicers dropped from the ceiling and leapt at them, brandishing their hooks. A loud Blam! echoed as (Y/N) shot it with her Shotgun. Its body fell to the floor in a twitching heap as the other two attempted to attack as well. Jack and Atlas joined in on the fight, shooting and hitting as they jumped and dodged to keep from getting hit. A few more Splicers dropped from the ceiling and joined the battle, which already felt like it would never end, swinging hooks and kicking out in an attempt to land even one hit on the three.

It wasn't long before all the Splicers were on the ground and either dead or dying. As they stood there catching their breaths Cohen sounded over Jacks radio again. "Ooooh. I can smell the malt vinegar in this one...I've waited so long for something tasty to come to this little burg. But all that pass through are yokels and rubes...Where are my manners? Come in, Come in! Sander Cohen awaits you! In the Fleet Hall!" he said, sounding utterly debauched at the beginning of his little speech, it made a shudder run down (Y/N)'s spine.

The large shutter door to the Atrium opened and lights started to come on inside. They slowly made their way in, weaponry still in hand for fear that Cohen will send something else to kill them. The Atrium was a mostly open area with a few closed shop along the walls and a large staircase in the middle that lead to the second floor, in front of the staircase was a curtained off stage with more of the frozen bodies in front of it, these ones looked like that were applauding something. As they entered a spot light pointed down at them and stayed on them where ever they went in the room, it gave them all a feeling like they were being watched, thought hey knew they were. "Welcome! To Fort Frolic!" Cohen said grandiosely through Jacks radio.

They stayed there looking around confusedly tell Jacks radio crackled and Cohen started to speak again. "No need to thank me fore jamming the transmissions of those boors, Atlas and Ryan. The artist, yes, the artist knows there is richer earth to till. For example: I test you, Little Moth. But for a reason, I test all my Disciples. Some shine like galaxies, and some...Some burn like a moth at the flame. Come now, into my home" he said wistfully.

Upon seeing the neon sign that said in bold lettering 'Fleet Hall' at the top of the stairs they started to climb, moving around the almost waterfall in the middle, caused by a large crack in the glass ceiling.

As it turned out the Fleet Hall was a theater, and the entrance was mostly concession. They made their way in and soon found that the only door was locked, so they went to the elevator and pressed the button.

It soon arrived and they all piled into the tight machine, they were packed together so tight that they were all three touching from shoulder to knee, as it started to take them to the next floor they heard the sound of piano music and Cohen shouting corrections at someone who sounded like they were crying and begging for something, probably freedom. "No. No. No" Cohen scolded followed by a whimpered. "Mr. Cohen, Please..." it was practically sobbed. "Silence!" Cohen said sharply, the entire time the piano never stopped playing. "Allegro! Allegro!" Cohen corrected the almost perfect sounding piano playing. Once they entered the theater they saw a man on stage with a grand piano, his lower body was frozen to the piano bench, he was playing furiously, clearly trying to keep up with Cohen's corrections. "dahdahdahDAH! PRESTO! PRESTO! NO! NO!" Cohen shouted exasperatedly. The man stopped playing and sobbed out. "I'm trying! Please!" he said through his tears. "Again, young Fitzpatrick" Cohen said sounding tired, as if they'd been at this for hours. The man, Fitzpatrick, started playing again. "dahdahdahdahDAH! No!" Cohen said, becoming angry. The whole scene made a ball of fury burn in (Y/N)'s stomach, Cohen was torturing this poor man and there was nothing she could do about it. Sudden Fitzpatrick stopped playing. "Oh come on, you sick FUCK! Let me outta here-" he started before the piano suddenly blew up, killing him in the process. A gasp escaped (Y/N) as she watched in horror, similar expressions on both Jack and Atlas' faces.

"Come down now, Little Moth" Cohen said over Jacks radio as the echoing boom died out. "Life. Death. The burden of the artist is to...Capture" Cohen continued. The body of Fitzpatrick was still smoldering on the floor of the stage and the three of them couldn't stop staring at it in horror. "See young Fitzpatrick here on the stage. Use your camera, take him as he is now. So I may remember him" Cohen ordered.

They were all snapped out of their stupor by Cohen's words, that nut job wanted them to take a picture of that poor mans dead body. "We don't have a choice. Take the picture" Atlas said quietly as he looked at the floor depressed anger. "I'm not gonna take part in that psychos madness" (Y/N) said angrily, but quietly lest Cohen hear and get mad. "Then I'll do it. I'm the one he ordered anyway" Jack said as he held his hand out for the Research Camera, which was still nestled securely in in her satchel. She sighed irritable and pulled it before handing it to him. Jack climbed up on the stage and took the picture before coming back and handing her the camera, putting the picture in his pocket. "And now you've got Fitzpatrick caught in his moment of glory! It seems you have the eye of the shutterbug, Little Moth. Now, get to the Atrium and place in photograph in my Masterpiece. And so our collaboration commences" Cohen said.

They slowly made their way back to the Atrium and as they walked Jacks radio sounded again. "I know why you've come Little Moth. You've your own canvas, one you'll paint with the blood of a man I once loved. Yes, I'll send you to Ryan. But first you must be part of my Masterpiece. Go to the Atrium. Hurry now, my muse is a fickle bitch with a very short attention span!" Cohen said. When they reached the Atrium that found that the previously curtained off stage at the bottom of the stairs was now visible and showed seven meticulously posed frozen bodies holding four picture frames. As they got closer lines of blood became visible on the frozen bodies necks. The sight brought a sick feeling to (Y/N)'s stomach as she got closer.

"Do you see it? When I am dust this is what they'll point to. My Quadtych. My Masterpiece. Go ahead...Don't be afraid...Touch it" Cohen said wistfully. Jack slowly approached it and put the picture he'd taken of Fitzpatrick in the lowest frame. "Ok...Now what?" (Y/N) questioned irritably, not liking the situation they were in. Suddenly loud trumpet music started to play and confetti flew into the air as another frozen body was lifted onto the stage by a trap door, it was holding a crossbow. "And there's Fitzpatrick, free of his own kinks and defects. And here's the glorious news: This is just the moments of conception. Out in this place there are three men, all former disciples of mine, all connected by a common thread: Betrayal. Find them, Little Moth, and immortalize them their mortality in my Quadtych. Go. Once they've been sent to their reward, you shall go to yours, and to Ryan" Cohen ordered.

Atlas sighed. "I don't like this. If Peach was untrustworthy then Sander Cohen in the Devil" he said tiredly. "None of us like it but what choice to we have? He controls the Bathyspheres...And our lives from the way it looks" Jack said as he took the crossbow the Fitzpatrick's frozen hands and examined it. "Well first things first. We need to find these men that he wants us to kill for him" Atlas said as he started in the direction of the rest of Fort Frolic.

As they walked toward the door Atlas looked at (Y/N), who had an expression of depressed anger. "Somethin' on your mind love?" he asked lightly. "I don't like this...I don't like him" she answered shortly as she glared in different directions, as if hoping that he could hear her words. "I know. He's a bad man but-" Atlas started but was cut off by (Y/N). "No, Atlas. You don't know" she said as she stopped to look at Atlas, if looks could kill then him and everyone around them would be dead. "He sent a Little Sister to the Department Store where Fontaine was locked up before the rebellion because he thought it was 'Artsy'" she said angrily. "He has killed more people for his 'art' and for Ryan than Ryan did himself" she continued, getting louder. "I heard about a girl who followed him as a Disciple once. The things she'd been through because of that man were so heinous that I can't even stomach the words it would take to tell you. So no, Atlas. You don't know!" she said, practically screaming the words by the end of it, tears started to drip down her face as the sheer anger and pain she felt from being at the mercy of such a terrible man. Atlas didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her tightly, and she didn't fight it. After a while she calmed down and they were back on their way.

They soon came to a short set of stairs that lead to a door with a neon sign over it that said 'Poseidon Plaza'. "That leads to the rest of the Fort" Atlas said as they approached. "Allow me to draw back the curtain" Cohen said over Jacks radio as the door opened.

This is going to be interesting...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!  
> *I think that's what he said...I'm not really sure because the way he says it is really quiet and there ambient noise that makes it hard to tell what he's saying. If you know feel free to tell me.


	14. Reluctant Hit List.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N), Atlas, and Jack must kill and photograph three men for Sander Cohen in they want to get to Hephaestus to kill Ryan. Should be easy right? Wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lord help me...I'm not used to writing for three characters at once so this whole thing is taking a lot outta me but we're roughly half way through now...I think? I forget how many 'levels' there are to the game and I'm going completely off of walkthroughs I found on YouTube and what little I remember from playing the games.

As the door to Poseidon Plaza opened they were met with a glass hallway but it was covered in a thick layer of ice, like it was a giant freezer. They ventured in slowly, not knowing what to expect, and as they were about to round the only corner they heard a raspy voice whisper to them. "I can see your breath" it said in a sing-song manner. It made a shiver run down all of their spines, of course it could have also been the cold but they weren't really in a position to figure that out.

When they walked through the door at the end of the glass hallway they were met with a junction of sorts. In front of them was the door to the rest of Fort Frolic, to the right was a medium sized room with piles of ice and frozen Splicers. But what made them pause was the man standing in the midst of it all, he wore a feathered bird-like mask and seemed to be waiting for them.

They all aimed their guns at him and slowly got closer but before they were close enough to do anything he ran toward the back wall of the room and disappeared like a Houdini Splicer, only instead of red smoke being left behind it was blue. They continued to walked toward where he'd been and when they were near the middle of the room they were suddenly frozen.

They were unable to move but they could still hear and see everything around them. They soon saw the man from before as he circled them appraisingly. "Guess the old grape finally sent someone! Son of a Bitch left me to freeze...I've got poses all picked out for you..." he said before a thick mist filled the room and he disappeared again.

The sound of ice breaking was heard and for a moment (Y/N) and Atlas thought that someone had shattered Jacks frozen form. "I'm free. I'll see if I can catch him" Jack whispered quietly as the mist cleared.

(Y/N) and Atlas watched as Jack looked around the room with his new crossbow in hand. He soon approached one of the frozen Splicers and it suddenly started to move, running to the side before disappearing once again in blue smoke, only to reappear behind Jack, who whipped around and shot him in the chest with a bolt from the crossbow. The man gasped for a moment as he fell to the ground.

Jack then ran back over to (Y/N) and Atlas and used Incinerate to carefully thaw them out. Once they were free she handed Jack the camera and let him handle taking the picture. "That was bracing! Take a photo of him and place it in the Quadtych. Hmm I'm feeling full, like an expectant mama..." Cohen said over Jacks radio, his words making everyone more than a little uncomfortable. Jack took the picture and suddenly Cohen was speaking again. "Yes! Now put the picture in the frame! Let's see what we've got here..." he said. (Y/N) didn't fight the urge to roll her eyes, the man was a total micro-manager and it was starting to get on her nerves.

They started to make their way back to the Atrium, taking their time, though weather it was to annoy Cohen or simply because they were all pretty much dead on their feet none of them know.

When they arrived back at the Quadtych Jack put the picture in the second lowest frame and, like before, loud trumpet music played and another frozen figure was lifted on to the stage by the trap door. This one was holding a purple gift box with gold ribbon tied around it. "It's coming together! Yes! But here will always be doubters. You don't doubt me...I could never stomach doubters..." Cohen practically growled the last part and it left (Y/N) with that sinking feeling in her gut, something bad was going to happen, soon.

Jack went to the gift box and opened it, finding a bit of money, ammo, and a few First-Aid kits, which he handed to (Y/N) to hold onto. They made their way back toward Poseidon Plaza and started to wonder around looking for the other two men. Soon they wondered into a record shop called 'Rapture Records' and they were met with a mostly empty two floor shop with collapsed stairs. On the lower floor they could see a small fire burning posters advertising Cohen's newest works with a chair situated in front of it with what looked like a man wearing a hat.

They all climbed down to the lower level and went toward the man in the chair but quickly found that it was just a corpse. Then the ticking started and they realized that the corpse was holding a bomb. "OH SHIT! Take cover!" Atlas yelled as he grabbed (Y/N)'s arm and pulled her toward the wall, shielding her with his body as they waited for it to go off. When it did they waited a few more seconds before they looked to where the corpse had been seated to find that all that was left were pieces of the chair it was seated in.

"You Cohen's Messenger boys? I got somethin' for that frog! Spend a little time with my kittens sugar!" A man standing next to the railing of the above floor said as he threw a bomb into a ventilation shaft. The sound of pained screaming was soon heard coming from the grated ceiling above them and they could see Spider Splicers climbing to get away from the flame, some of them already set ablaze

The grates in the ceiling started to fall and the Splicers dropped from the holes and started to attack them. They fought back as best they could with the limited space and soon all the Splicers laid on the floor dead. "Now what? How do we get back up there?" (Y/N) asked looking up at the floor over head. "We could go this was" Jack said looking at a vent by the floor that lacked a cover. "That'll work..." she said as she knelt and started to crawl through it.

"This sucks" she said about half way up the vent. "I don't know. It's a pretty nice view from where I'm sittin'" Atlas said flirtatiously from his place behind her. A deep blush found her cheeks but she didn't say anything as they kept going.

As soon as they crawled out of the vent the door opened and there stood the man from before. "Ok errand boy! Cohen, Ryan. Two old birds pullin' on each others milk sticks!" he shouted as he threw another bomb their way, but this one was small, and he tried to run away but Atlas had his pistol trained on him and all he had to do was pull the trigger, so he did.

The man hit the floor with a gasp. "He was nasty one...And my favorite...But I think I like him better this way. Take his damn photo! chop chop!" Cohen said over Jack radio as Jack took the picture. "You flutter all around the Fort taking life as you go...You're not a moth...You're an Angel...I never painted an Angel before...Maybe I should" Cohen said and once again that sinking feeling found (Y/N) gut. That mad man was going to do something to try and kill them soon. She could feel it, but didn't say anything.

Just like before they made their way back to the Atrium and when they arrived Jack put the picture in the frame second from the top. "That's three of four! Ah! What's that look? You don't like it do you?! I don't need to be judged by you! By anyone! Screw you! Screw all you fucking doubters! Here's what I say to all of you!" he shouted through Jacks Radio. "I knew this was going to happen!" (Y/N) said as she held her Shotgun at the ready.

Soon Splicers started to enter the room and attack them as Cohen kept shouting different things about moths and doubters and the song 'Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies' played over the P.A., but they were too focused on not dying to listen to what he was saying. The attack lasted for about 10 minutes before the Splicers stopped coming and the music ended. "I'm sorry for that outburst. You'll have to forgive an old fool his artistic temperament. The birth is so close now. The labor pains can blur the judgment and drive the passions of even the finest spirits..." Cohen said, sounding much calmer than he had before. (Y/N) wanted to scoff at his words but chose not to as she didn't want to cause him to go into another rage.

Another frozen body and another gift box lifted onto the stage as the trumpets played, this box was yellow with green ribbons. Jack looked through it and found more ammo and some money.

They didn't really know where to look for the last man that Cohen wanted them to kill so they wondered around for a while, taking turns searching different shops. (Y/N) and Atlas were just coming out of one when they saw Jack looking at a poster for Jasmin Jolene very intently. "Good taste, Boyo, but bad timin'" Atlas teased as they approached, patting Jack on the back when they were close enough. "It's not like that...She just seems...familiar...Somehow..." he said slowly as his eyes went back to the image of the beautiful blond woman. "How? Before crashing here you'd never even heard of the place. How can you know her?" (Y/N) questioned with a lifted brow. Jack shook his head and shrugged in a way that said 'I don't know'. "So now where do you want to look now?" (Y/N) asked, changing the subject. "The only place left is Eve's Garden" Atlas said as he clapped Jack on the back once more. "It's your lucky day boyo" he continued with a laugh as he started to walk the direction of the aforementioned strip-club.

When they entered the first thing they saw was the empty stage, a metal pole sticking up in the air in the middle of it. They were then caught off guard by a ghost, as they hadn't seen one in a while. She was dancing around the pole sexily before turning their way and seeming pleased. "Well, if it isn't the long lost Andrew Ryan...mm-mm-mm, come here tiger" she said before walking in the direction of the dressing room. (Y/N) and Jack shared a look before climbing onto the stage, not caring if Atlas was following or not, and going to the door, which had a few steps to go down before turning into a hallway with a right turn. When they entered the hallway the same ghost appeared. "I thought you'd forgotten about poor Jasmine. But I'm so glad you didn't" she said as she walked around the corner and disappeared. They followed her again and found a closed door with moving shadows underneath it and the sound of a terrified woman's voice. "I'm sorry Mr. Ryan, I didn't know. I didn't know Fontaine had something to do with it. I-wha?! What are you doing?! No! No don't please! I loved you! Don't! Don't! Please no! AAAHHH!!!" she shrieked as the shadows moved around frantically. That had to be the most horrifying ghost they'd seen yet and (Y/N) was more than a little shaken by it.

The door started to open on it own and they didn't know if they wanted to see what was on the other side or not but chose to find out anyway, seeing as there might be something important in the room. When the door opened and they walked in they were met with the sight of a small room with a slightly elevated canopy bed, to the sides along the walls were dressers and a make-up table. They had barely stepped into the room when Jack suddenly stopped and placed a hand to his head with a pained hiss. "Jack? You ok?" (Y/N) asked worriedly as she put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine...It's nothing..." he said slowly. They both turned to the bed and saw the body of Jasmine Jolene sprawled out on it. Even with out the ghosts to tell them that she'd died violently they would have still been able to tell just by the look of her corpse. (Y/N) got a little closer and found an audio diary under the bed, she picked it up and pressed play. "That creepy Dr. Tenenbaum promised me it wasn't going to be a real pregnancy. They'd just take the egg out once Mr. Ryan and I had- Well...I needed the money so bad, but I know Mr. Ryan's gonna suss it out. Gonna know I wasn't being careful. Gonna know I sold the- Mr. Ryan's gonna me so mad at me" Jasmine's voice filled the room as it played and all present felt pity for the poor girl, no matter what she did or ever could do she didn't deserve this. A sigh left (Y/N) as she put the audio diary down and went to walk out of the room.

As they left they head a drunken voice echo through the club. "How about some fucking service around here?" it said as they exited the hallway and emerged onto the stage. At the bar they saw a man that seemed a little more than just tipsy, they could all tell that he was the man they were after. As soon as he saw them he stood. "Who does he think he is?" the man questioned, they couldn't tell if he was talking about Cohen or someone else but it didn't really matter. He started to run away and none of them hesitated to pull their guns and open fire on him as he made for the door. They aren't sure with shot it was that ended him but they do know that he was now dead. "He was a lout, but he was vigorous. Get the photo before he completely dries up" Cohen ordered over the radio. Jack sighed and took the picture, stuffing it into his pocket afterwards.

They started to walk back to the Atrium and when they arrived back there Jack put the picture in the highest and last frame. As soon at the picture was in place the spot light moved from them to the top of the staircase as a drum roll played. (Y/N) didn't say it but she could swear that she saw a ripple in the air, like just before a Houdini Splicer appears, right in the spot light. Then Cohen appeared in the spot light. "It. Is. Accomplished!" he said as a recording of an applause played and he started to descend the stairs, waving like there was a crowd as he went. He was wearing a gold and white bunny mask but he took it off in a sweeping motion when he reached the middle landing on the stairs. "Let me see it" he said as he did so. "My God. My God. My God" he said said as he got closer, sounding like he was close to tears. "It's...It's beautiful..." he said as he stopped in front of the stage to look at the Quadtych. He then looked at the three of them. "You'll find your path to Ryan is now clear. Tell him Sander said 'Hello'" he said as he made another sweeping motion, this time toward the door. "Oh, yes. You may avail yourself of one of my lesser works as a token of our time together. If you had become my one and true Disciple, you might have been worthy of seeing inside the box of my most private Muse" He said as he started to walk toward a couple of displays behind the stairs, one started to opened as he spoke while the other stayed locked.

(Y/N) found that she was speaking before she could stop herself. "Like Elisabeth? Your Songbird?" She questioned snappily. Cohen looked at her with a quizzical expression before a laugh left him. "Haha! Hardly. She was simply using me for information. I let her because I found it amusing" he said mirthfully as he waved her off. "You let her?! You tortured her and abused her! Then you sent her to certain death!" she shouted at him, she wanted to kill him but fought the urge, if Cohen was a Houdini Splicer like she thought he was then he was a powerful one that she couldn't handle, let alone with Atlas and Jacks help. "She asked for my assistance finding someone and I sent her to them. That's it" he said shortly, making it clear that the conversation was over.

She sighed and started to walk away, toward the Bathysphere Port, Jack and Atlas didn't hesitate to follow her.

Once they were in the Bathysphere she let a growl leave her lips and punched the wall, hard. "I wish I could have killed him..." she growled as she glared at the wall. "He was standing right there. Why didn't you?" Jack asked curiously as he watched her. "Because he was a Houdini Splicer and most likely a strong one...I didn't want to risk you guys getting hurt" she said with a huff as she sat down next to Atlas. "That's mighty kind of you (Y/N)" Atlas said as he wrapped his arm around her gently.

Next stop. Hephaestus and Ryan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated


	15. Hephaestus.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our daring trio make it to Hephaestus and must find a way into Andrew Ryan's office. But what happens when new secrets are relieved about one of our three heroes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to use WYK (Would you Kindly) is this chapter but I couldn't find a spot where it would make sense. Hopefully I'll make it work in the next chapter.

By the time the Bathysphere resurfaced in Hephaestus (Y/N) had calmed down and was far more level headed than she'd been before. "Ryan has the genetic key to the city. If we can get that then we can get outta here." Atlas said grimly as he stepped out of the Bathysphere. "Let's get to his office and kill the son of a bitch...It's time to finish this" he continued as they started to walk out of the port.

As they watched (Y/N)'s radio buzzed as Ryan's voice came through. "I see Cohen's lost his touch. If you knew him when...When he used to believe in the work...In the struggle. And now, he rots in that never-land, waiting for someone to come and tell him that he's still got it. I suppose that's why he let you live" he said before going silent. The three companions ignored his words and kept on their way as they entered a large glass hallway. To the right side of the hallway they could see underwater volcanoes that cast a red light over everything, to the left they could see faraway glass hallways connecting another building to the one in front of them. The building in front of them was big and had a green neon sign on the front that read 'Hephaestus' in bold text.

The hallway split in font of them, one side going left, the other going right. They decided to go right and prepped their weapons as they walked, hearing footsteps on far ahead of them. As they turned the corner they saw a Splicer holding a pipe and there were sparks flying from the end, telling them that he had Electrobolt. (Y/N) lifted her pistol and fired it at the Splicer, hitting it in the head and killing it instantly. They wordlessly kept going on their way, soon finding that the fork would have lead them to the same place no matter what direction they went, so they turned right and walked through the only door in the area.

Through the door they were met with a large sign that said 'Ryan Industries' on the wall in front of them and a downward slope with working machinery to their left and right. They continued down the slope to the door and walked through. "You can taste it, can't you? Andrew Ryan!" Ryan said through (Y/N)'s radio, for a moment she wondered why he was only calling her but brushed it off as laziness on his part. They went through the door and were met with another sign like on the wall behind them but this one was spattered in blood from the corpse on the floor in front of it. With a shake of the head they kept going.

They ascended one of the two sets of stairs to the left and right of the sign and were met with a hail of bullets from a turret, but it was quickly handled with a shock and a quick hack. Atlas had to fight the urge to comment on (Y/N) adept and quick fingers as he watched her hack the machine, now was not the time for such things.

They went through the door that lead them further in and found themselves in a large room with a table in the middle, over the table was a metal tube that lead up through the ceiling. On the table was a Grenade launcher. As they approached it they heard an echoing chuckle followed by an accented voice saying. "Ahh, a present...You like, yes?" it said, by the time the voice went quiet they were standing around the table looking down at the launcher. "Whoever wants it gets to carry it" (Y/N) said looking at the two men. They shares a look for a moment before Atlas went to pick it up and soon the chuckling echoed again as a grenade fell through the metal tube over the table, landing neatly on the table. Atlas picked it up and loaded it into the launcher. The chuckling continued and a heat seeking RPG fell, but just before Atlas could pick it up shouting came from the other side of the room. "Get down!" Atlas yelled as he turned and launched the grenade at the group of Splicers, killing all of them.

A sigh escaped (Y/N) as she stood from her position on the floor, where she'd dropped to avoid getting hit with debris, "Well...That worked..." she said as she looked at the still burning corpses of the Splicers. "Yeah. It would seem so" Atlas said as he put it back on the table, a thunk echoing through the room as it made contact. "What? Not gonna keep the big pretty gun?" she teased with a smirk. "I think we both know that it's not the size of the gun that counts but how you use it. Don't need to compensate nothin'" he flirted shamelessly. (Y/N)'s smirk dropped as her cheeks flared red and she gulped quietly. "If you two are done flirting, can we please get back to the task at hand?" Jack asked teasingly as he too stood from his crouched position. "He's right. Time to keep moving" (Y/N) said quickly as she started for the door, Atlas watching her go with a smirk of hos own.

As she rounded the corner that lead to the door she didn't hesitate to shoot the camera perched over the door, labeled 'Office of Andrew Ryan', by the time she was through the door the two men were right behind her.

They entered a large entry hall with pillars lining the left and right sides. "A worm looks up and sees the face of God! But look around...It's a regular convention of worms in here. They all had mothers, father, people who loved them. They goth married, fucked their wives. What makes you think you're any different? I haven't chosen spots on the wall for your yet...let me know if you have a preference" Ryan said through (Y/N)'s radio as they all looked at the corpses hanging from the pillars on the wall. In the middle of the room at the far end was a large bust of Ryan and right behind it was a set of stairs with a panel that had a single switch on it. There were two large wires that pulsed with electricity that came out of the sides and went into two locks on the door to the office.

The trio went up to it and shared a look before Atlas reached out and flipped the switch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	16. How to Build an EMP

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final thing standing between our heroes and Andrew Ryan is removed. Will everything go to plan? Why does Ryan seem to know something they don't? Find out is this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in months, I moved and don't have Wifi at my new place so I have to go other places for it and chances to do that are few and far between, so updates will continue to be very slow going. But in the mean time I have three new chapters done and will be posting them in rapid succession. I hope you enjoy!

They all expected to be attacked by more of Ryan’s Splicers but found the room empty and almost terrifyingly quiet.

But they didn’t have any issues with that. What they had a problem with was that the door didn’t open.

“Now what?” Jack questioned with a tired sigh.

“I don’t know, boyo…” Atlas replied with a sigh of his own as he looked around the room.

(Y/N) had been wondering around the large room while the two men tried to think of something and found herself looking up at one of the corpses hanging from the wall. This one was a woman with short black hair and looked like she’d been pretty at one time, but now was nothing more than a piece of decomposing meat.

But she wasn’t looking at her face. She was looking at the Recorder hanging from the body.  
She removed it with care, so as not to disturb the body too much, and went over to Jack and Atlas.

“Maybe this’ll help” She said as she pressed the play button.

“I had to go jungle-style with that filthy ape for three weeks, but he finally spilled the beans on how to get to Andrew Ryan. Generate a Sympathetic Overload in Harmonic Core #3. That’s simple. Now all I gotta do is figure out what the hell a Sympathetic Overload is, and for that matter a Harmonic Core #3! Piece of cake for an electrical engineer. Too bad I design lady’s shoes. Gonna go see the grease monkeys left alive in Heat Lose Monitoring, see what I can shake out of their trees.” Said a woman’s voice, assumedly the body that the recorder was hanging from.

“Well…That answered that question…Kinda” Atlas said as he looked to his companions.

The sound of a blowtorch cutting through metal was heard from the other end of the room as Ryan spoke through Jacks radio.

“How like all Parasites who ever tried to walk in stolen shoes. I’d explain the science that renders what you’re trying to do impossible. But that would be like playing Mozart to a tree frog” he said.

As he stopped talking the door opened and in ran a group of Splicers who didn’t hesitate to attack them.

They made short work of the drugged-up idiots and started for the door across the room.

“We’ll head for Heat Lose Monitoring first and see what we find there” Atlas said as they went.

When they went through the door they were met with a small room that had flooded a bit with around half a foot of water. And in the center, was a dead Big Daddy.

A pang of pity hit (Y/N) in the chest but she didn’t dwell on it as they continued to the other end of the small room to the next door.

Behind that door was a long winding glass hallway and, as they walked, Ryan’s voice buzzed through Jacks radio once again.

“Rapture is coming back to life. Even now, can’t you hear the breath returning to her lungs? The shops reopening, the schools humming with the thoughts of young minds? My City will live, my city will thrive. And when that day comes, we’ll use your tombstones as paving tiles” he said.

“He sure does like to listen to himself talk” (Y/N) muttered as they reached the end of the hallway they were met by yet another door.

On the other side of this one was the Main Core. The room was a large rotunda, of sorts, with the power core in the middle.

They didn’t stop to stare as they continued to Heat Loss Monitoring.

As they were exiting one room they were met with Ryan’s voice through Jacks radio again.

“Imagine the will it took to create a place like this. And what have you built? Nothing, you can only loot, and break. You’re not a man…You’re just a   
termite at Versailles” he said, seeming like he was just talking to Jack this time.

They didn’t pay any mind to his words as they pushed on.

When they arrived at Heat Lose Monitoring they split up and looked around the room.

Jack soon called them over to a small office like space and showed them a Recorder.

He pressed play and they all listened. “I didn’t recognize the twist that come into the shop today…Stacked like Sally and dressed to the nines. She’s   
play her cards pretty close to the vest, but you ain’t gotta be no college yob to see that she’s into some pretty bad china. She was asking about magnetic locks, and some such. I played it coy, but she took wise. After she showed me ‘round her backyard, I gave her directions to Kyburz’ tool shop. Rapture’s gone to hell, but sometimes the Great Chain still cuts you a break” said a smug accented voice before it clicked off.

“The Workshops are where we need to go” (Y/N) said as Jack set the Recorder aside.

They started to make their way to the Workshops and as they left Heat Loss Monitoring Jacks radio buzzed and Ryan spoke once again.

“A man builds a city at the bottom of the sea. That’s a marvel. Another man happens to be on a plane that crash lands on the same city in the middle of the ocean. Why…That sounds more like…A Miracle.” He said before the radio went quiet.

“The sound of his voice is really getting annoying” (Y/N) all but growled as they pushed on.

They soon reached the Workshops and they decided to split up again and look around.

The men were soon called into one of the smaller offices and she pointed out a crawlspace door.

Atlas pulled it open and they took turns crawling through.

On the inside, they found a hidden room that had two work tables. One had what looked like a bomb casing on it, the other had a recorder.

She picked it up and hit play. “Basic casing is ready. I’ve got a one charge of nitroglycerin in my office, that will serve as the catalyst. Now I need   
four R-34 lead shield wire stubs to pass the circuit. Then a half-can of Ionic Gel – that’s the pretty Betty of the mix. Should send the core into compensation mode, push power down the line and trigger the circuit breaker on Ryan’s gate. That the theory. It’ll either work like a charm, or blow up half of rapture. Nothing ventured…” said an Australian accented voice before it went quiet.

“...So! Anyone have a better idea that risking blowing ourselves up?” (Y/N) asked with a sarcastic smile.

“From the sound of it, that’s our only option” Jack said as they looked to Atlas for the final decision.

“It’s the only plan we’ve got so it’s what we’re gonna do. Here’s the plan we’re gonna split up. (Y/N) and I’ll go get those R-34 things and the Nitro.   
Jack, you go get the Ionic Gel” The Irishman said as he looked between Jack and (Y/N).

They nodded and made their way out of the small hidden work shop.

Jack split off to do his part of the plan while (Y/N) and Atlas tried to figure out how to get what they needed.

“The R-34’s are used in Big Daddies so we should be able to find them in the few dead ones around here” she explained as she approached one of the aforementioned dead Big Daddies that was sitting in the corner.

After tinkering for a few moments, she pulled out the R-34 and put it in her bag. “One down, three to go” she said as she turned to look at Atlas.

They went on their way and soon found the office that was said to have the nitro in it but it was guarded by two turrets.

“I can’t hack both fast enough to not get shot” she said as she watched them, looking for an opening and finding none.

“Then we’ll just have to do it the hard way” Atlas said as he reloaded his gun.

(Y/N) nodded and did the same before they both rounded the corner and stated shooting at the turrets.

After the turrets blew up (Y/N) didn’t hesitate to go to the door and start hacking the combination lock, finding it a bit harder since it was smaller than the turrets and cameras.

When the door opened, they were met with the sight of the office. But it was never that easy.

It had electric wire traps strung all over the place.

A sigh left (Y/N) and she turned to Atlas. “Stay here” she said as she started to duck under and around the wires.

When she reached the back of the room she found the case that held the nitro, only problem was she couldn’t find the button to open it.

Then she looked at the desk and found the button on the side, in plain view for anyone looking for it.

She pressed it and went to the case, ducking under more wires as she went.

Then she heard a turret firing.

“Atlas?! What’s going on?!” she called worriedly.

After getting no reply she grabbed the nitro and put it in her bag before turning to leave.

She was just crawling under the wires when she started getting shot at.

It startled her enough to make her lose her balance and fall into one of the wires.

It shocked her harshly and left a bad burn line on her arm after it burnt through her shirt sleeve, she didn’t fully process the shriek of pain that left   
her as hers, nor did she process Atlas’ worried and slight frantic calls of her name as she managed to get her gun up and pointed at the turret.

After the turret was taken care of she forced herself to crawl, duck, and shimmy her way out of the room despite the pain in her upper arm.

One she was out of the room she was engulfed by warmth and the very masculine smell of Atlas as he wrapped his arms around her tightly with a   
sigh a relief.

“Are you okay, love?” he asked as he looked down at her.

“A little cooked but I’ve had worse” she said with a humorless laugh as she lifted her arm to show Atlas the burn.

He made a hissing sound as he looked at it. “Let’s get a bandage on that” he said as he started to lead her to a more secluded spot.

Once they were, mostly, safe he had her take off her button-down so he could see better as he pulled one of the first-aid kits from her bag.

“This might sting a bit” he said as he took an anti-bacterial wipe to the wound.

She hissed pain but kept still, he grimaced but didn’t say anything as he kept wiping.

With the wound clean he took some numbing gel and clean bandage pads and arranged them so they covered the long burn before wrapping them   
in gauze and tying it off.

“There, good as new” he said quietly as he looked at her arms before looking at her face or, more specifically, her eyes.

She looked back and she found her eyes flicking to his lips and back, and she saw his do the same, she wanted to kiss him, and he wanted the   
same.

She wasn’t sure who caved first but what she does know is that her lips were now pressed to Atlas’ and she was in Heaven.

His hands were on her cheeks and hers were gripping the front of his vest.

When the kiss broke, they looked at each other as they panted to catch their breaths.

“Nice to know it’s not one-sided” she said breathlessly.

“Agreed” he replied with a light chuckle.

A sigh left her kiss swollen lips as she looked around. “We need to get moving” she said as she forced herself to stand up, putting her button-down back on as she went.

“Ay, that we do” Atlas said as he too stood.

Once they were back on their way they started to look for as many dead Big Daddies as they could, only finding two in their search.

“Looks like we’ll have to kill one” Atlas said as he watched their immediate surroundings.

“Let’s find one that has a Sister, two birds one stone” she replied.

They walked around for quite a while before they found a Big Daddy that had a Little Sister with him and they quickly set to work and soon they had   
the R-34 and one more saved Little Sister under their belt.

“Let’s go find Jack” (Y/N) said as she tucked the R-34 into her bag.

“Looks like we won’t have to go far” Atlas said gesturing to the figure of Jack walking toward them, Ionic Gel in hand.

But once he was within ten feet of Atlas it was like he flipped a switch and became a whole other person as he attacked Atlas.

He dropped the Ionic Gel and tackled Atlas to the ground, choking him even as Atlas clawed at his arms and hands.

(Y/N) didn’t hesitate to take one of the Ionic Gel canisters and hit Jack upside the head with it, knocking him out cold.

“What the hell?” (Y/N) questioned as she looked down at the unconscious form of Jack on the floor as Atlas panted and coughed, lightly rubbing at   
the bruising on his neck from Jack’s hands.

“Not sure, I think we should head back to the workshop and stay there till he wakes up” Atlas said as he stood and looked down at Jack.

“Okay. You carry him, I’ll get these” she said as said she picked up the Gel canisters.

They made it back to the workshop and sat in the hidden room waiting for Jack to wake up.

When he did, he woke with a start and was looking around franticly, as if he were waking from a nightmare.

“Jack? Hey, Boyo…How ya feelin’?” Atlas asked as he knelt next to Jack slowly, prepared in case he was attacked again.

“Atlas? What happened?” he asked as he put a hand to his head and felt the bump from when (Y/N) knocked him out with a wince.

“You attacked me, Boyo. Care to tell us why?” Atlas questioned.

“You called me on the radio…Told me to” Jack replied confusedly as he looked between (Y/N) and Atlas.

(Y/N) and Atlas shared a looked. “No, he didn’t Jack. Neither of us did” (Y/N) said gently.

“What? Yes, he did. He called and Said ‘Would you kindly kill me the next time you see me’. Those were his words!” Jack said becoming frantic and even more confused.

“Shit…That wasn’t me Jack. That was Fontaine pretending to be me. Not the first time either…Why would you listen to any one who told you to kill me? And why would I tell you to kill me?” Atlas explained.

“I don’t know. It was like I wasn’t in control…My head hurts” he said, practically whimpering the last part like a scared child, then again considering how young Jack is and what he’s been through over the past who-knows-how-long it wasn’t much of a surprise.

(Y/N) knelt next to Jack and pulled him into her arms gently. “I had to knock you out to get you to stop…” she said as way of explanation for his headache.

“No, that’s not it. The bump hurts but this is different. It feels like my mind it trying to fight my memories…It hurts” he explained.

This caused (Y/N) and Atlas to share another, more worried, look.

“Hang on. I think I have some aspirin in my bag” (Y/N) said as she let go of Jack and grabbed said bag, digging through it.

After pulling out the bottle and handing Jack a few pain-pills they got back on track and Atlas set to work putting the bomb together.

One it was done they all looked at it. “Does it look like a real bomb to you?” Atlas asked with a tilt of the head.

“Hell, if I know” (Y/N) said. “Where do we put it?” she asked looking from the bomb to Atlas.

“We need to put it directly on the Core, past Geothermal Control” he answered as he and Jack started to pick the large bomb up.

They started their trek to Geothermal Control and found that it was flooded.

“The elevator won’t work with all that water down there” (Y/N) said as she looked at her reflection in the water.

“Yer right. This valve should redirect the magma flow and boil off the water…I think” Atlas replied with a shrug.

“Okay then. It’s worth a try” (Y/N) said as she reloaded her gun. “Jack, you handle the valve, we’ll cover you” she continued.

Jack nodded and took hold of the valve and started to turn it.

Jacks radio cracked to life with Ryan’s voice as Splicers ran into the room and started to attack. “Will these creatures kill you? Even I don’t know. As   
you drag me closer to the abyss, you pull yourself right along with me. I offer you a quick death, parasite. It will be preferable to you will learn if you win” he said before going silent.

Once the tubing for the magna was open, the molten rock started to flow and the room filled with steam as the water was boiled off.

“Everyone on the elevator” Atlas called as he and Jack picked up the bomb and placed it in the elevator.

It was a tight fit but it was also a short ride.

They hurriedly carried the bomb to the lift that would take to up to the Core as Jack radio once again sounded with Ryan’s voice.

“So far away from your family, from your friends, from everything you’ve ever loved. But for some reason, you like it here…You feel something, you   
can’t quite put your finger on…Think about it for a second, and maybe the word will come to you: Nostalgia” he said before going quiet again.

“He keeps talking like you’ve been here before” (Y/N) pointed out as she looked at Jack.

“I noticed. I don’t know why, I don’t recognize this place at all” he replied as he and Atlas put the bomb down.

“Now’s not the time to try and figure it out” Atlas said as he flipped the switch to turn on the elevator.

As the elevator started to move Ryan spoke again. “What did Atlas offer you? A piece of my plundered city? Mark my words- your only reward will   
be a knife in the back” he said.

“He not talking about me. He’s talking about Fontaine” Atlas said as he and Jack lifted the bomb into a small platform on the Core.

“Be ready when I flip this switch the bomb will go off” Atlas said as he lifted his hand to activate it.

“Do it” (Y/N) said as she readied herself to run.

And as soon as it went off all hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! Comments are always welcome!


	17. The Death of Andrew Ryan.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew Ryan dies...But Frank Fontaine lives. Now with a new enemy to fight our heroes must come up with a new plan to get out of Rapture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More plot progression! I'll be posting one more chapter tonight then I don't know when I'll post again.

The Core started to fall apart and the lights went out.

“Let’s get to Ryan’s Gate and end this!” Atlas called over all the noise.

Jack and (Y/N) just nodded as they all started to run.

“Though my physical defenses may fall, you’ll not defeat me. My strength is not in steel and fire, but in my intellect and will. You hear me, Atlas!?   
Andrew Ryan offers you nothing but ashes!” Ryan spoke over Jacks radio.

“That doesn’t sound good!” (Y/N) said as they ran.

“Just keep running!” Atlas replied hastily.

When they reached the breaker switch Atlas didn’t hesitate to throw it and open the door.

The Gate over loaded and exploded, destroying the door rather than opening it.

“In the end, all that matters to me – is me. And all that matters to you – is you. It is the nature of things” Ryan said as they went through the sealed iron door to the Core Control Center.

When they walking through they were met with a large room with a wide pillar in the center that had machinery and monitors on it.

On the monitors were the image of Andrew Ryan’s face as he spoke through all three of your radios.

“Even in the book of lies, sometimes you find truth…There is indeed a season for all thing. And now that I see you flesh to flesh and blood to blood, I know that I cannot raise my hand against you. But know this: You are my greatest disappointment. Does your master hear me? Atlas!? You   
can kill me, but you will never have my city! My strength is not in steel and fire! That is what the parasites will never understand. A season for all things: A time to live and a time to die. A time to build and a time to destroy!” he shouted as the room started to shake, as if many bombs went off.

“Come now, my child. There is one final thing to discuss” he said more calmly.

“He’s set the Core to self-destruct! This is different than what we did. He’s got a mind to take down the whole damn city! We have to end this before we all die” Atlas said as he ran up to the door to Ryan’s office, only to find it locked and broken.

“Look, a vent, we should be able to fit. Come on!” (Y/N) said pointing to and open vent shaft at the top of a set of stairs.

When they reached the end of the vent they dropped down facing the wall closest to them, but when they turned they all found themselves horrified by what they saw.

A large pin board covered in papers and pictures, namely Andrew Ryan, Jasmine Jolene, Tenenbaum, Suchong, Jack, and…(Y/N)…

They were all connected by threads and there were three recorders on the table under the board and over the whole thing was the phrase ‘Would You Kindly’ in what they all hoped was just red paint.

“You’re Ryan’s son…And Jasmin is your mother…A-and mine!?” (Y/N) shouted confusedly as she looked at the thread connecting Jasmin’s picture to hers.

Atlas picked up the recorder labeled Mind Control Test and hit play.

“Is that your puppy? She is very pretty…” Suchong said on the recording.

“Thank you, Papa Suchong” said the voice of the young boy, that sounded like a younger Jack.

“Break her neck for me” Suchong said suddenly.

“What?” the boy questioned confusedly.

“Break that sweet puppy’s neck” Suchong ordered the boy.

“No…Please…” the boy gasped through tears.

“Break that puppy’s neck- would you kindly…” Suchong order in a testing manner.

“No…No…” the boy cried as the sound of the puppy whimpering and bones cracking was heard.

“Very good” Suchong said sounding proud as the recorder went silent.

Jack gasped. “I remember that…It’s blurry but I can remember when he made me do that” Jack said as tears welled in his eyes.

(Y/N) picked up the next Recorder that was labeled Baby Status and pressed play.

“Advanced Deployment, Lot 111 Dr. Suchong/Client Fontaine Futuristics. Baby is now a year old, weighs 58 pounds, and possesses gross   
musculature of a fit, 19 year old. The results are disappointing, but within expected tolerances” Suchong said before the recorder ended.

“They did something to you…To make you grow faster…” (Y/N) said looking to Jack, who just looked confused and terrified.

‘That explains some of his more child-like mannerisms…He is technically a child…’ she thought as she watched Jack.

Atlas picked up the last Recorder, this one was labeled Sweet Girl, and pressed play.

“I didn’t want to…But I didn’t have a choice…I couldn’t take care of her anymore. I didn’t have the money…Tenenbaum said that if I sent her to the 

Home for Little Sisters that she would be safe! I should have known that she was lying…I’m looking at her right now…Her yellow eyes have that   
unearthly glow…And she’s holding hands with one of those awful Big Daddies…I miss my sweet girl” Jasmin said through her tears as the recording ended.

“My mother…Gave me up…And Ryan killed her…” (Y/N) sad quietly as she fought tears of her own.

“Let’s go end this, right now. The bastard has it comin’” Atlas said as he went to the door.

They all walked down a hallway with a few sharp turns before they were met with a large foggy window that lead into Ryan’s office.

As they entered Atlas was behind Jack and (Y/N) and a glass wall dropped down and blocked the entrance, keeping him out.

(Y/N) turned and started hitting the glass, trying to break it but having no luck. She was about to shoot it when Jack called out to her.

“Come here” he called as he looked through the glass that lead to Ryan’s office.

“The assassin has overcome my final defense, and now he’s come to murder me. In the end, what separates a man from a slave? Money? Power? No,   
A man chooses. A slave obeys. You think you have memories. A farm. A family. An airplane. A crash. And then this place. Was there really a family? Did that airplane crash, or was is hijacked? Forced down. Forced down by something less than man. Something bread to sleep walk through life, until they are activated by a simple phrase, spoken by their kindly master. Was a man sent to kill? Or a slave? A man chooses. A slave obeys.” Ryan said as he walked back and forth and played with a golf club.

Then he looked at (Y/N). “And you. I knew your mother well. But she was nothing but a lowly whore that betrayed me. Honestly, I never liked her that much, she was just good for passing the time” he said before going to the door to his office and opening it.

“Come in” he said almost jovially as it opened.

Jack walked a little closer to him and Ryan lifted the gold club in his hand. “Stop. Would you kindly. Would you kindly…powerful phrase. Familiar phrase?” he questioned, holding the end of the club to Jack’s chest.

“Sit, Would you kindly. Stand, Would you kindly. Run. Stop! Turn. A man chooses. A slave obeys” Ryan said, Jack following every order without hesitation. Then he approached Jack and handed him the gold club.

“KILL!” he shouted and Jack didn’t even hesitate before he hit Ryan with the club.

(Y/N) let out a gasp at the suddenness of it and felt like she should stop him but there was no way they were getting out of there with Ryan alive, and she wanted revenge for what he did to her mother.

Ryan staggered from the hit. “A man chooses” he slurred before Jack hit him again.

Now on the floor and trying to look up at Jack. “A slave obeys” he said, sounding like his mouth was full of wet cotton as Jack hit him again.

He managed to get himself to his knees and looked up at Jack. “OBEY!” he shouted and Jack hit him one last time, the end of the golf club braking off in Ryan’s bloody head as he fell to the floor dead, blood spurting out of the wound.

(Y/N) grabbed Jack by the shoulders and shook him to get his attention. “Jack? Jack! Snap out of it!” she called as his dull eyes cleared and he looked down at Ryan’s body with horror. “Let’s get Atlas and stop the Core from blowing up. Then we can come to terms with all of this” she said as she let go of Jack and turned to the glass wall blocking Atlas from getting in and pulled out her Tommy Gun.

Atlas stood back behind the corner and she open fired on the glass, shattering it completely.

“Come on! Let’s grab that key and get out of here!” he shouted as he ran in.

Jack grabbed the key from Ryan’s body and they ran into the dead man’s office.

They ran to the back of the office to a large computer and placed the key in the slot. A blue line up the middle of the computer drained down and   
started to be replaced by a red one and a voice sounded over the radio.

“Nice work, Boyo” it said with a sigh, sounding like Atlas, before it started to laugh a much deeper and more sinister laugh than the real Atlas’.

“It’s time to end this little masquerade. There ain’t no revolution leadin’, city savin’ Atlas kid. Never was. Fella in my line of work takes on a variety of aliases. Hell, once I was even a China-man for six months. But you’ve been a sport, so I guess I owe you a little honesty. The names Frank Fontaine” he said sounding smug. “I gotta say, I’ve had a lot of business partners in my life. But you… Course the fact that you were genetically conditioned to bark like a cocker-spaniel when I said ‘Would You Kindly’ might have had something to do with it, But still... Now as soon as that machine finishes processing that genetic key you just fish off Ryan I’m gonna run Rapture tits to toes. You’ve been a pal but you know what they say: never mix business with friendship” he said as the red line reached the top and a ding sounded. “Thanks for everything, kid... Don’t forget to say ‘hi’ to Ryan for me” he finished as a security alarm sounded and fly bots started to fly in and shoot at them.

“Run!” Atlas shouted.

They turned and were met by Little Sisters beckoning them toward a vent.

They followed and crawled through. (Y/N) was in front with Atlas right behind her and Jack at the back.

There was a grate that they passed over but it broken under Jack and he fell, knocking him out. Atlas Jumped down and lifted him so (Y/N) could pull him up and they continued on their way, following the Little Sisters to wherever it was they were taking them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! The next chapter should be the long awaited smut that I promised in the tags. Comments are always welcome!


	18. A Moment Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/N) and Atlas have some time alone while Jack is off taking care of some personal business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I'll be able to post for a while but I'll try not to take so long next time.

As it turned out the girls were taking them to Tenenbaum’s current hideout.

When Jack came to, (Y/N) was sitting with some of the girls playing and drawing while Atlas talked with Tenenbaum. When the German woman noticed he was awake she went over and sat next to him on the bed. “Welcome back, child. Welcome to the city where you were born” she said as  
Jack sat up and looked around.

When his eyes landed on (Y/N) he found her in overall better condition than she had been. Then he looked to Atlas who was also in better condition.

“Hey, Jack. How ya feelin’?” he asked from his place leaned against the wall.

“My head hurts…” Jack replied.

“Yeah, a fall in a ventilation shaft’ll do that” (Y/N) teased lightly.

Tenenbaum chose this time to pull his attention. “You are angry at Fontaine, yes? Now you know the truth. You are his tool. Brought back to Rapture to save him” she said as she stood and lifted a hand to help him up, which he accepted.

“I can’t leave with him still alive, and I won’t let him have the city” Jack said more determined than Atlas and (Y/N) had ever seen him.

“Then we’ll end him. For good” (Y/N) said as she stood from her spot on the floor.

“While you were asleep I undid some of Fontaine’s mental conditioning. His control over you is no longer complete, but he can still pull some very  
unpleasant strings” Tenenbaum said before continuing. “We made your mind with many locks and keys. Fontaine has most of those keys, but not  
all. Suchong designed your mind, taught Fontaine to control you. You might find answers in Suchongs lab in Mercury Suits” she explained.

“Then that’s where we’re going” Atlas said as he stood straight and they prepped to leave.

A Little sister lead them out of the Hideout and into a sewer drain, that was when they found out that they were in Olympus Heights.

As they walked Jacks radio buzzed. “And now you’ve got hooked up with Tenenbaum, huh, kid? She’s a regular Mother Goose. All right, Fun’s fun,  
kid, but now…Go get stepped on by a Big Daddy, would you kindly?” he said but when Jack showed no signs of listening he started to speak again. 

“Huh? I says, would you kindly go get stepped on by a Big Daddy?” he said again and when Jack still showed no sign of obeying he kept talking. 

“Ah. Seems like Mother Goose has been playing around in your egg salad. If you won’t dance to that toon, I got others. ‘Code Yellow’” he said smugly.

Jack stopped walking with a gasp and his hand flew to his chest where he gripped his shirt over his heart.

“Jack? What’s wrong?” (Y/N) asked worriedly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

Jacks radio buzzed again. “I just told your brain to tell your heart to stop beating. Not right off the bat, mind you. The heart’s a stubborn muscle.  
But it ain’t that stubborn” Fontaine said.

“I guess this is what Tenenbaum meant when she said that Fontaine still had some unpleasant strings to pull” Atlas said with a sigh.

Then Tenenbaum called on (Y/N)’s radio. “Once you are free of Fontaine’s control, then you can have your revenge…And we can keep my little ones  
out of his filthy hands” she said.

“Let’s find Mercury Suits” Atlas said as he went to start walking again.

“After we get there, I want you guys to find somewhere to hide. I need to do this alone” Jack said determinedly.

“If that’s what you want Jack” (Y/N) said worriedly as she followed the two men.

After they reached Mercury Suits Atlas and (Y/N) went to find an unflooded and only minorly damaged apartment but found something better.

On the third floor of apartments a paparazzi had set up his camera equipment to spy on the elevator to Fontaine’s apartment and, to their luck, he  
had seen the code to access the elevator and recorded it.

(Y/N) and Atlas shared a look before smirking. “It’s bound to be pretty safe” she said.

“And intact” Atlas added on as he lifted his elbow for her to take. “Shall we, love?” he asked.

She placed her arm in the crook of his elbow with a nod. “We shall” she replied with a smirk.

They made their way back down to the elevator and (Y/N) entered the code and called the elevator.

When it arrived, they stepped in and pressed the button.

When it stopped, they stepped out and made their way to the front door, locking it behind them when they entered.

“Wow…Didn’t think it would be this big…” (Y/N) said as she looked around the large foyer/library.

“Well when you’re as rich as that bastard you tend to have a nice living arrangement” Atlas said as he too looked around.

“I wonder if there’s still hot water here…” (Y/N) said thoughtfully as they wondered up the stairs to the left, toward the bathroom and bedroom.

“Hard to say, but I wouldn’t be surprised” Atlas replied with a small smile.

When they reached the bedroom, they found a large, mostly empty, room with a large bed, a few chairs, and a fireplace, which Atlas lit with a snap  
of Incinerate.

With the fireplace lit the room became much warmer, as the deep sea had a tendency to leech the warmth out of everything.

“I’m gonna go clean up” she said as she turned to go to the bathroom.

“Okay, love. Take your time” he replied with a nod.

The next thing Atlas heard was water running from the bathroom faucet and filling the bathtub.

It wasn’t till that moment that he noticed that there was no door between the bedroom and the bathroom and he could see the whole room from  
his spot on the side of the bed. He coughed and turned his back to the bathroom, to give (Y/N) some privacy.

He could hear the clack of her putting her guns aside and the rustle of fabric as she took off her clothes and finally the water stopped running and he heard her sigh in contentment.

He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw her sitting in the bath with her back to him. He had a perfect view of her bare upper-back and shoulders, as she’d pulled her hair up out of the way.

He cleared his throat once more and turned back to the wall as he waited for her to finish up.

The he remembered a bad cut he’d gotten at some point that he needed to tend to.

So, he stood and removed his vest and white button-down before getting one of the first-aid kits from (Y/N) satchel.

In the bathroom (Y/N) was sitting in the warmest bath she could remember having ever had.

She looked down at her legs and saw the scars from her time as a Big Sister and the bruises from resent battels a small sigh left her as she thought  
about all the new information she now had on her life before she was a Little Sister.

She was Jasmin Jolene’s daughter. She struggled to accept it as she couldn’t remember anything.

She sighed once more and grabbed the washcloth and started to scrub the dirt from her soft skin before sitting back and wetting her hair, letting the warm water relax her even more.

When she was done in the bath she stood and stepped out before grabbing one of the clean and, surprisingly, soft towels hanging by the door and drying herself off and wrapping the fabric around her body.

When she reentered the bedroom, she was met with the sight of a shirtless Atlas’ scarred back.

She slowly walked up behind him and gently placed her small hand on the center of his upper-back, slowly tracing one of the scars. He jumped and gave a quiet gasp when her hand made contact with his flesh.

“Where did you get these?” she asked quietly as she continued to trace the lines of healed flesh.

“Some of them are from down here…Others are much older” he answered just ask quietly.

She moved her hand to his shoulder and pulled lightly, asking him to face her without being forceful.

He turned and faced her with an expression that looked like a mix of fear, love, and sadness.

They just stood there for a few moments. Looking at each other. Their gazes weren’t sexual, though there was a very sexually charged undercurrent in the situation. No, their gazes were accepting. Of all of it. The scars, the fears, the pasts, all of it.

Neither of them spoke before the both moved forward and found themselves in a passionate lip lock that they never wanted to end.

(Y/N)’s hands found Atlas’ scruffy cheeks while his found her hips as his ran his tongue over her plush bottom lip, asking nicely to be let in. She  
hesitated before slightly parting her lips.

His tongue slipped in and coaxed hers in to a little dance as he sat down on the bed, lifting her by her hips onto his lap, where she ended up straddling his legs.

They stayed like that for a while before he pulled back from the kiss and moved his lips down her neck and across her collarbone, where he lightly nipped at her skin, a quiet gasp leaving her as he went, her hands moving down to his shoulders.

She found herself feeling very warm and felt a stirring in between her legs as he nipped and kissed her neck and chest.

She wasn’t totally clueless, she knew what sex was, she’d killed enough Splicers as they did it that she knew the basic acts, but that was all she knew. She didn’t know what it felt like, didn’t know how to do it herself. She’s never even touched herself, never had the thought or the time. So all of this was beyond new to her.

So, when she ground her hips against Atlas’, and he returned it with a deep growl that sent her guts into a tizzy, she knew she needed to tell Atlas about her lack of knowledge in this field.

She brought one of her hands up and thread her fingers through his hair to get his attention. “Atlas…” she said airily.

“Yes, love?” he asked as he looked up at her.

“You should know that I…Um…I’ve never…You know…” she stammered shyly as a deep red blush painted her cheeks.

Atlas smiled softly at her in understanding. “We can stop if you want” he offered earnestly. He’d figured that she was a virgin, she spent her teen  
years killing drug addicts and saving Little Sisters so it was no surprise to hear her say that.

“No!” she said suddenly before her blush darkened even more. “I-I don’t want to stop…I just don’t know what to do…” she said avoiding eye contact with the Irishman.

Atlas put his large, warm, hand on her cheek and turned her face so he could see her eyes. “That’s okay. I can show you” he said with a kind smile.

“Okay” she said with a smile of her own at she pulled Atlas into another deep kiss.

Atlas returned it before placing his hands under her bottom and standing with her in his arms, she gave a small gasp as he moved, wrapping her  
arms around him so she wouldn’t fall.

He then turned and placed her gently on the bed before climbing over her and lightly tugging at the towel still wrapped around her body, asking if he could remove it.

She nodded and lifted her torso so he could pull it out from under her.

He slowly unwrapped the towel and drank in every inch of exposed skin with his eyes, the loving glint never leaving, even as he saw the scars and bruises that littered her body.

Once she was fully exposed to him he leaned down and kissed one of the scars on her belly, just under her ribcage, as he looked up at her through his eyelashes and between her breasts.

She shivered lightly, whether it was the still slightly chilly room or her nerves she wasn’t sure but she also didn’t care.

He sat up on his knees and looked down at her, taking in her every feature, every scar and mark, every muscle and dip in her skin. She was beautiful to him.

She watched him admire her and felt herself growing more shy by the second and when he noticed this he leaned back down and kissed her sweetly. “You’re so beautiful, (Y/N)” he said softly, his voice deep and sweet.

She smiled softly before looking down at his trousers and lightly tugging at the hem. “You’re turn” she said softly, almost teasingly.

His smile widened slightly as he kicked of his shoes and toed off his socks before unbuttoning and unzipping his pants before tossing them aside,  
leaving his in his, tented, boxers.

She bit her lips and tugged at the hem of his boxer with a small smirk. “These too” she said, the teasing lilt to her tone becoming bolder.

Atlas looked down at her and smirked. “I think you’ll need to help me with those, love” he said returning the teasing manner.

She looked up into his brown eyes and hesitated only for a moment before she took hold of the hem and slipped them from his hips, he had to take them the rest of the way because her arms weren’t long enough to reach.

Now it was her turn to admire his body, he was well built, but she’d already known that, but she didn’t know how much it showed. He had sculpted ads and a light dusting of hair on his chest that she hadn’t been paying attention to before. And at his belly button there was a line of hair that lead  
her to his manhood, which to her was impressive but she wouldn’t really know, she didn’t really go around looking at men’s dicks.

She gave one more onceover before locking eyes with Atlas. “Atlas?” she said sounding almost scared.

His expression turned worried. “Yeah?” he asked gently.

“Do…D-do you love me?” she asked looked up at him with a look that was hope and fear in one.

Atlas’ worried expression turned into one of pure affection. “Yes. I know we haven’t known each other for long…But the Shit we’ve seen together…It feels like a lifetime. (Y/N), I love you” he said with a sincerity that almost brought tears to her eyes.

“I love you too, Atlas” she said softly as she pulled him into a deep kiss that was void of all sexuality and filled with nothing but love and hope.

When the kiss broke, they were both hit by just how aroused they both were and Atlas, being the gentleman he is, needed to make sure that (Y/N)  
was ready before they took things any further.

Of course, she didn’t have the slightest idea of what he was doing when he moved his hand between her legs and started to tease her with his fingers, moving them around her outer folds before slipping one in.

She gave a shivering gasp at the foreign, but not unpleasant, feeling. Atlas felt his manhood pulse at the sight of her in such pleasure, and that he was the one to cause it.

He continued to finger her with one for a while, till she got used to the feeling a bit more, before he added another slowly. She didn’t expect the slightly uncomfortable stretching feeling that met her when he added another but she knew basic biology and assumed it was normal.

He soon added a third and that uncomfortable stretch became slightly painful but she didn’t say anything as he massaged her inner walls, seemingly looking for something, and when she was hit with a wave of pleasure that made her gasp and moan she knew he’d found what he was looking for, which was confirmed by his smirk and the quiet ‘found it’ at her reaction.

He teased that spot for a while till she started to feel a tightening in her belly, like a tight coil that was about to snap, she started to moan and stammer, clutching at the bedsheets, when he pulled his fingers from her and sat back, watching her gasp and pant.

He licked his fingers clean of her juices before, a low moan leaving him at the taste, he placed his hands on her thighs and slowly pushed them apart and was about to settle between them when he had a thought. He smiled down at her and beckoned her to sit up. She obeyed and he laid down next to where she’d been and took her hand. She let him lead her till she was straddling his lap.

“You get the control. Go at your pace” he said sweetly and she got what he was doing.

He was trying to make her as comfortable as possible. She smiled down at him and lifted her hips and took him in her hand before she slowly started to sink down on him. That uncomfortable stretch came back but it was worse this time, tighter, and it burned a bit where it didn’t before. 

She closed her eyes and bit her lip to get through it as Atlas lightly rubbed her thighs with his thumbs in an attempt to take her mind off it a bit.

“Take your time, love. Long as you need” he said softly as he looked up at her.

He was soon buried to the hilt in her and she stopped moving so she could get used to the sensations that were currently coursing through her.

Then, when the burn subsided, she rolled her hips, just a little, and was hit by a wave of pleasure, not unlike what she’d felt when Atlas used his  
fingers but so much better.

A shiver rolled through her as she started to move, making a slow and light bouncing motion, and Atlas followed her lead, rolling his own hips in time with hers, both emanating low moans and gasps of the others name, as well as a few choice curses.

She found herself emboldened by how good she made Atlas feel, and how hot the sounds he was making were, and leaned down to kiss him, this time it was her tongue that was asking for entrance, which Atlas happily gave her.

When the kiss ended and she went to sit up straight again Atlas followed her and sat up as well, the change in position caused his member to brush that spot from before.

“Ah…Atlas…” she moaned airily as a shudder moved its way up her back.

“(Y/N)…” whispered almost reverently as he rolled his hips up into hers, his forehead now resting on her chest lightly.

Her hand rested on the nape of his neck, where her fingers gripped loosely at the short hairs there. His arms were wrapped around her, his hands splayed over her back as he held her to him, their naked flesh sliding against each other smoothly as sweat coated both their bodies.

Soon the coil returned to her belly, and from the way Atlas was speeding up his movements he was feeling it too, and she felt the desire to chase that feeling, so she followed his lead and rolled her hips faster.

Soon she was gasping and whimpering. “A-Atl-las-s” she stuttered out as she neared her end.

“I k-know, love…J-just let g-go…” Atlas growled as his grip on her tightened, determined to see her finish before he did.

She whimpered and moaned his name as if it were the only word she knew. And he wasn’t far from the same.

It only took three more thrusts before they both came, her practically shouting his name, and him watching her as she was flooded with pleasure, a low moan of his own leaving his lips.

They rested their forehead against each other as they panted, basking in the still waning waves of pleasure.

Then airy chuckles started to fill the room as smiles stretched across their faces. She nuzzled her forehead against his lightly as they locked eyes.

He moved so they were both on their sides, pulling out as he went, and they both laid like that for a while, chest to chest on their sides, lightly brushing fingertips over faces, sharing the occasional light kiss.

It wasn’t long before they both dozed off, only waking when the fire went out and the room went cold. When they stirred they simply looked at each other with a small smile and got up, heading straight to the bathroom and running a hot bath.

When the tub was filled, Atlas got in first then helped (Y/N) step in, settling her between his legs with her back against his chest.

She rested her head back on his shoulder and sighed contently as they soaked in the warm water and basked in the peaceful moment, knowing that when they got out and got dressed that they would have to go back out into the hell that was Rapture. That they would have to go back to killing to stay alive. That they wouldn’t know when they would get another moment of peace like this.

So, they took their time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Comments are always welcome!


End file.
